Ask Jan
I thought it might be a fun to dedicate some occasional blog posts to answering our reader’s burning food/cooking questions. The first question comes from Tracy, who asks:
My DD has oral allergy syndrome, and low iron, how do I get more vitamin c rich foods into her in order for optimal absorption of the iron into her body. She eats minimal bites of meats, so I need bang for bites!
While I’m not a doctor or a trained medical professional, I am anemic and do know a little bit about eating vitamin C rich foods in order to aid in iron absorption. My first thought is that the more fun the food is, the more likely she is going to want to eat it, and what’s more enjoyable in the summer than popsicles? What about turning your orange and grapefruit juices into popsicles, and serving them alongside eggs, which are a good source of iron. I can’t imagine anyone turning down frozen ‘treats’ for breakfast.
For lunch or dinner, you could puree some cantaloupe, strawberries and/or watermelon (all high in vitamin C) and make an all-fruit smoothie, which would pair nicely with rice and bean (good source of iron) burritos. To accompany your meaty meals, a side of broccoli would work well, as would a spinach and strawberry salad. Since most leafy greens are a good source of this vitamin, I might also suggest these kale chips, which are always popular with the kids.
Do you have a burning cooking question? Feel free to answer in the comments and I will respond in an upcoming post.
