3 Tasty Dishes Rich in Vitamin D

Stay healthy during the year’s darker months with these delectable, easy-to-make plates.

The days are getting darker, so it’s crucial to incorporate more vitamin D into your diet if you want to avoid fatigue, a weakened immune system, bone pain and mood fluctuations—all of which may be symptoms of D deficiency. But don’t worry: we’ve got you covered with these tasty and easy-to-make dishes that will help you meet your sunshine-vitamin needs. Pick from tuna, salmon and halibut—all fatty fish that are loaded with the good stuff.  (Photo: Gwendolyn Richards)

1. Pasta with Tuna and Lemon

If you want something simple, delicious and healthy, this recipe is all you need. Dust off a few cans of tuna; add some pasta (linguini, fettuccine or spaghetti—your choice) plus garlic, salt and lemon; and enjoy a feast rich in vitamin D. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a standard portion (100 grams) of canned light tuna has up to 228 International Units (IU) of vitamin D—more than a third of the intake that Health Canada recommends per day (600 IU). And if you feel like adding more tuna to your diet, here’s a top-secret tuna poke recipe.  (Photo: Dairy Farmers of Canada)

2. Smoked Salmon Grilled Cheese with Maple Marinated Apricots

Take the best of the West Coast (Canadian cheese, wild smoked salmon and seasonal fruits), stack it all together, and you get a mouthwatering sandwich. And don’t forget to keep the recipe in your back pocket during fall and winter’s darkest days, because a standard portion of salmon is all you need to meet the daily recommended intake of vitamin D. Depending on whether the fish is coho, pink, Chinook or sockeye, 100 grams of salmon can provide up to 700 IU. Check out our five best salmon recipes ranked from easy to hard for more options. 

3. Steamed Pacific Halibut with Egg Dashi and Vegetables

This is a very flavorful combo of vitamin D–rich ingredients. Both halibut and morel mushrooms naturally contain vitamin D (100 grams of halibut—Atlantic or Pacific—contains about 196 IU and a half cup of morel mushrooms has 68 IU), and when combined with asparagus, egg dashi and seaweed butter, results in a one-of-a-kind meal. Hosting a dinner party? You may want to consider impressing your guests with this elegant poached halibut dreamed up by Jack Chen, co-owner of Vancouver’s Coquille Fine Seafood.