Iron-y

I'm 0 for 2... tried to make a donation at the New York Blood Center and for the second time in a year they turned me down. My hemoglobin was too low - again - which means I'm not getting enough iron in my diet - again.

Since becoming a part-time vegetarian I knew I'd have to make up the difference in that department. I honestly thought I was cruisin' with my weekly intake of oatmeal, legumes, quinoa and all the other stuff that makes me crave a cheeseburger on a regular basis. (I'm hoping to grow out of that phase soon). Not so much I guess. Here's a list of foods the kind folks at the NY Blood Center shared with me to help boost my levels along with my personal commentary, of course:

Animal Protein:

• Liver (no shot)
• Lean Red Meat (rarely on my menu these days)
• Poultry, Eggs (no prob)
• Dark Red Meat (see Lean Red Meat)
• Tuna, Salmon (doable)

Grains:

• Fortified Cereal, Wheat, Oats, Brown Rice, Whole Grains (done and done)
• Millet (haven't tried yet)

Legumes/Beans:

• Lima Beans (never gonna happen)
• Soy Beans (believe it or not we like the frozen edamame from Shoprite - who knew?)
• Kidney Beans (check!)
• Dried Beans/Peas (doable)

Nuts:

• Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Seeds (not a fan)

Fruits & Veggies

• Raisins, Apricots, Prunes (occasional user)
• Dark Leafy Greens, i.e. Spinach (check!), Kale & Collards (currently in search of recipes)
• Broccoli (a family regular)

If I double-down on the iron richness and pop my iron supplements on a more regular basis I'm hoping the blood center will let me drop a pint next month. I'm hoping that it will also help boost my energy level overall. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a nap.