These real food recipes are chock-full of ingredients containing natural Vitamin D3 to get you through these dark, dreary months. Most of us don't get enough Vitamin D3 so incorporating these foods can naturally boost levels.
This is a collection of real food recipes that focus on foods containing Vitamin D. Please note this recipe collection focuses on real foods naturally containing Vitamin D3, it does not list fortified food recipes.
This list of nutrient-dense recipes and superfoods also contain other vital micronutrients that our modern diets tend to be lacking — like Omega 3 while also being a rich source of protein, Vitamin A and more.
Winter here lasts a long time.
The months can feel dark and dreary, especially after the Christmas celebrations are over and you're faced with a slushy, grey January.
For humans, the most bioavailable and useful form is called D3 and after sunlight, it comes solely from eating certain animals. The plant form of Vitamin D is D2 and it is not so useful to humans.
Pastured animals store their D3 in their fat and organs primarily but they also will have varying degrees in their muscle meat. Egg yolks also contain D3 and so do butter and cream.
For an animal to be a source of D3, it must have been pastured and/or exposed to sunlight or UVA/UVB artificial light.
Cod Liver Oil
You will have to forgive me if the first item on this list is not a recipe but rather a traditional food-based supplement — cod liver oil. And it has one of the highest concentrations of D3 you can find so I have to mention it for sheer convenience.
One teaspoon has 395 iu of D3 amongst MANY other beneficial things (Omega-3's, Vitamin A).
And the only cod liver oil on the market that is worth getting is Rosita's Cod Liver Oil. It's expensive. So if this is out of your budget, it's not the end of the world. But even having one bottle on hand in the winter can benefit you.
You can also buy canned cod livers from Iceland and eat them on a slice of buttered einkorn bread. The flavour is pretty mild
Smoky 'Nduja Sausage & Caramelized Onions Pasta Sauce Recipe
This is my best original pasta sauce recipe: 'nduja sausage is a traditional pork preparation from Italy and here it is combined with smoked caramelized onions, tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and garlic.
Country Peasant Pork & Mushroom Pâté With Wild Berry Topping
This rustic pork meat and liver pate recipe is high in both Vitamin D3 and iron — amongst other things.
It's also a very traditional and delicious preparation that will become your favourite.
Mussels in Bacon, Tomato, Roasted Red Pepper & Red Wine Sauce
Mussels are easy, affordable, incredibly nutritious, and tasty.
Mussels and pork bacon come together in this rich and savoury recipe that is perfect for any time of the year.
How To Smoke Whole Trout on The Traeger Grill
This is how you properly brine and smoke a whole trout on the Traeger Grill (or whatever pellet smoker you may have). This method works for fillets as well.
Don't Have a smoker? Check out:
Portuguese Caldo Verde Soup With Roasted Garlic
Rustic comfort food made in homes all over Portugal, this soup recipe has it all; traditional Portuguese sausage, fresh and roasted garlic, rich meat stock, and even greens.
How To Smoke Salmon
Start with an earthy and citrusy brine of beetroot and blood orange, and then glaze with pomegranate and maple syrup hourly when on the grill as your salmon smokes to perfection.
Smoked Maple Salmon Jerky
Make delicious smoked salmon jerky on your Traeger Grill or pellet smoker. Maple salmon jerky is a simple recipe that results in a shelf-stable, nutrient-dense food that makes for a smarter snack choice over other empty-calorie-laden and processed foods.
Smoked Salmon with Poached Eggs
This is one of my favourite breakfasts: wild smoked salmon, poached egg, asparagus, basil pesto or hollandaise sauce, and an optional spoon of rich wild salmon roe.
Every component here can also be assembled in advance making it an easy meal-prep choice.
Halibut In Creamy Turmeric Sauce
Wild-caught halibut is used here, but any fish will do to complement this savoury, spiced sauce of turmeric with caramelized onions, peas, and bok choy. This is a hearty and warming dish that the drizzly cold days have me craving.
Hot Spiced Milk
You HAVE to try this, please. Heat whole milk, add collagen, spices like cinnamon or cocoa, and then incorporate 1-2 egg yolks as it whirls around the blender. This is my favourite way to start the day that is a satisfying and nutritious alternative to coffee.
Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Dessert? For Vitamin D3? This traditional pumpkin spice bundt cake is made with pastured leaf lard which is a great source of it. Leaf lard was the traditional way to make light and airy but moist cakes back in the day.
Make sure to also check out my Meaty Winter Warmers for more delicious real food recipes to keep you full this winter.
[…] No. This is just a pervasive myth. As is the notion that egg yolk colour (easily faked) easily determines nutritional value. The nutrition of chicken eggs (and they are an incredibly nutrient-dense superfood that we eat daily) depends solely on the size of the egg and yolk, the diet of the chicken, health of the chicken, and the amount of sun exposure the chicken gets for increased Vitamin D3. […]