Orecchiette Pasta Salad with Peas, Green Beans, and Cucumber

Symptom check-in

• POTS: None.

• Vestibular migraine: The nausea has been on and off for two days now. Today it was bad enough that I had to cancel lunch plans with my roommate because the idea of sitting in a restaurant felt impossible. Even scrolling on my phone was making it worse so I just put it down and lay there for a while.

• Lupus: None.

Disorder safety check

Condition	Works?	Why
POTS	—	This meal doesn't specifically target POTS symptoms
Vestibular migraine	Yes	Cold pasta salad is one of the gentlest things to eat during a nausea episode — no strong smells, no heavy sauce, no common migraine triggers; cucumber and peas are mild and easy to digest
Lupus	—	This meal doesn't specifically target lupus symptoms

Ingredients (makes 2 servings)

Pasta

• 200g orecchiette

• Salted water for boiling

Vegetables

• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas

• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds

• 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds

Dressing

• 3 tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Small handful of fresh dill, chopped

• Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

• Salt and black pepper

Steps

1. Cook the pasta — Boil orecchiette in well-salted water until al dente. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the green beans directly to the pasta water to blanch them at the same time. In the last 30 seconds, add the peas. Drain everything together and rinse under cold water until completely cool — you want this salad cold, not warm.

2. Make the dressing — Whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard until smooth. Stir in the dill and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. It should be creamy but light — if it feels too thick add a small splash of water to loosen it.

3. Combine — Add the cooled pasta, green beans, and peas to a large bowl. Add the cucumber slices. Pour the dressing over everything and toss gently until evenly coated. Taste for seasoning and adjust.

4. Rest it — Let the salad sit for at least 10 minutes before eating so the pasta absorbs the dressing. It actually gets better the longer it sits — make it ahead and keep it in the fridge if you can.

5. Serve cold — Eat it straight from the bowl. No reheating needed and no strong smells to make the nausea worse.