Boost Your Immune System With 8 Vitamin C Packed Meals That Aren’t Fruit Bowls

During the winter months, when sickness tends to spread more rapidly, it’s important to make sure that you’re eating foods that contain the vitamins and minerals necessary to boost your immune system and ward off disease.

Many factors contribute to the health of your immune system, but vitamin C is one of the most important. When it comes to vitamin C, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men is 90 milligrams (mg) per day, and for women, it’s 75 mg.

A lot of foods and ingredients contain vitamin C, with the highest concentrations found in fruits (particularly citrus), green vegetables, bell peppers, kale, and tomatoes. And although these ingredients are yummy on their own, they can be even more delicious incorporated into Meatless Monday meals.

So get into the kitchen and start cooking for better health.

Bell Pepper Breakfast Burrito

Who would’ve thought that a bell pepper breakfast burrito could give you a boost of vitamin C? Bell peppers are an excellent, low-calorie source of vitamin C that taste great in everything from stir fries to sandwiches to pastas.

Bell Pepper Tempeh Fajitas

Packed with protein and vitamin C, these bell pepper tempeh fajitas taste a whole lot better than your daily multivitamin. Marinating the tempeh in lime juice, soy sauce, cumin, and oregano is an excellent way to infuse the plant-based protein with a zesty kick.

Kiwi Basil Smoothie

Sweet, tart, and bright, this kiwi basil smoothie is a perfect way to start the morning. Kiwi is loaded with vitamin C, containing 64 mg per fruit.

Pumpkin and Kale with Creamy Polenta

Eat with the seasons with this cool-weather recipe for pumpkin and kale with creamy polenta, which features whole pumpkin, leeks, and hearty kale over a bed of comforting polenta. Kale, amongst its many other health benefits, is also a great source of vitamin C.

Rainbow Veggie Pizza

Let your creativity kick in with this simple recipe for rainbow veggie pizza. Top a pre-made or homemade pizza crust with any variety of colorful vegetables to get a tasty dose of different nutrients. Swap out the shredded cheese for a plant-based variety to make this recipe totally vegan.

Strawberry Kale Salad

This tangy strawberry kale salad packs a double punch of vitamin C. A basil shallot vinaigrette tenderizes the kale while almonds add a nutty crunch to this hearty salad.

Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Kale Filling

A blend of pumpkin puree, tofu, chopped kale, and fresh sage creates a smooth and creamy filling that puts these pumpkin and kale stuffed shells over the top.

Winter Harvest Citrus Pasta

Cinnamon, citrus, maple, mushroom, chickpea, almond, garlic and rosemary sing in this recipe for winter harvest citrus pasta. With all the light citrus and cinnamon flavors this pasta can be easily served for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Click here for more Meatless Monday recipes. When posting pictures of recipes to your social media network, tag @MeatlessMonday use #MeatlessMonday to show the plant-based community your creation.