I see plants almost the same way as I see meat.
Plants are living, breathing, growing beings. They have blood, they eat and drink, breathe and grow off the sunlight.
Infact, we need plants more than we need animals. Plants breathe out oxygen, we breathe in oxygen and out carbon dioxide, plants then breathe in carbon dioxide.
Animals don't do that.
As for iron, there are vegetables that give us iron.
Vegetables High in Iron
Killing plants and animals is murder but also a necessary part of life.