Growing a Vegetarian

Creating protein-packed plant fare for my son

Words and photos by Nevin Martell

When my son, Zephyr, was born, I couldn’t wait for him to be old enough to eat. I was excited to introduce him to some of my favorite dishes, from classic comfort fare like Ghanaian beef pies, tacos al pastor and barbecued ribs to more challenging ingredients such as uni, caviar and sweetbreads. In my dreams, Zephyr was going to grow up to be a passionate omnivore with a curious palate, just like me.

But when it came time to transition from breast milk to solids, Zephyr had other plans, buttressed by a stubbornness he inherited from both me and his mother. He knew what foods he liked, and he ate them with a passion. When he didn’t like something, he let us know—sometimes loudly. Good luck trying to get him to eat something that didn’t pass muster.

The first time I fed him meat, a chicken empanada at the farmers market when he was less than a year old, he took one nibble before shaking his head in the negative. “Maybe it’s too spicy for him,” I thought as I wolfed down the rest.

A pattern quickly formed. Over the next three years, Zephyr devoured vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products—and possessed a ravenous appetite—but meats were unceremoniously declined. I tried everything, including kid-friendly fare like chicken nuggets (the healthy-ish ones from Whole Foods, not those in a Happy Meal), pepperoni pizza and bacon. None of them interested him, and I grew increasingly frustrated and agitated by his refusals. Who doesn’t like bacon?

One day, when he was only 4 years old, he came home from preschool with the answer in the form of a question.

“Poppa, do you know where meat comes from?”

“Yes, it comes from animals,” I replied, a little warily.

“Well, I don’t want to eat animals,” he declared.

Suddenly it all made sense. You know who doesn’t like bacon? Vegetarians! We ended up having a long conversation—well, long for a 4-year-old—about vegetarianism and the importance of eating a balanced diet filled with everything his body and mind needed.

I was proud of his decision, but a part of me worried that an essential building block was lacking in his meals: protein. It did appear in some foods he loved—pasta tossed with nutritional yeast and parmesan (plus a little truffle salt to make it fancy), oatmeal and roasted broccoli—but I felt it was my duty to offer him some next level options enriched with protein.

It became my goal to sneak more protein into his favorite dishes, starting with his breakfast routine. He loves coconut, so I made an overnight oatmeal with coconut milk and steel-cut oats. Barley and flaxseed added an extra burst of protein. I served it with an array of toppings, including toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, diced sweetened dried pineapple, golden raisins, toasted almond slivers and maple syrup. That way he could mix and match, depending on his morning mood.

For his endless bowls of pasta, I devised an alfredo sauce amped up with silken tofu and nutritional yeast, plus plenty of parmesan and whole milk. It’s a simple blend-and-cook recipe, easy to whip up on a school night when time is limited. Toss it with fettucine and it’s an indulgent, satisfying dish that just happens to be packed with protein.

When it came time to do something interesting with broccoli, I was stumped. I knew a salad wouldn’t be appealing to Zephyr and a gratin would mask the flavor, which he loves. After several failures, including a truly awful smoothie, I stumbled across a recipe from Amanda Cohen of New York City’s pioneering plant-based restaurant Dirt Candy. She smokes the florets, and then batters and fries the crunchy crucifer in the style of Korean fried chicken. The hickory wood haze was a little too overpowering for a younger diner, so I simply steamed the florets before wok frying them. I served them with a soy-maple reduction as an optional dip. The preparation didn’t add any more protein to the equation, but it allowed me to serve broccoli in a new way that excited Zephyr. And it meant neither one of us would ever have to drink that broccoli smoothie again.

Zephyr has been a vegetarian for more than three years now, never once trying meat but always getting enough protein to power his physical and mental growth. During that time, I’ve altered my expectations. He doesn’t need to ever eat a taco al pastor or uni to make me happy. Sure, once his palate becomes more adventurous, I’m excited to give him his first tastes of morel mushrooms, chana masala and shakshuka. In the meantime, it’s a pleasure watching him happily eat food that’s good for him and respects the philosophy he has chosen to live.

Coconutty Power Oatmeal Recipe

Serves 4

1 (13.5-ounce) can (scant 2 cups) unsweetened coconut milk

3 cups water

Scant ½ teaspoon salt

1 cup steel-cut oats

⅛ cup barley

⅛ flaxseed meal

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring coconut milk and water to a rolling boil. Add salt, oats, barley and flaxseed meal. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly and making sure the mixture doesn’t boil over or get burned on the bottom. Remove from heat and stir for another 30 seconds. Cover the pot and let it sit overnight, at least 8 hours.

To serve, stir thoroughly to ensure all components are recombined. Heat over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until oatmeal is heated through.

Serve warm with your choice of accoutrements. Our favorites are toasted unsweetened coconut flakes, chopped toasted almonds, chopped sweetened dried pineapple and a drizzle of maple syrup. If you like your oatmeal a little smoother, serve it with a splash of whole milk—or heavy cream, if you’re feeling indulgent.

Fettucine Tofredo (Tofu Alfredo Sauce) Recipe

Serves 6

16 ounces silken tofu, drained and cut into large cubes

½ cup whole milk

2 teaspoons white miso

1 teaspoon onion powder

¼ cup nutritional yeast

½ cup finely grated parmesan, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pound fettucine

Using a blender or food processor fitted with the S-blade, blend the tofu, milk, miso, onion powder and nutritional yeast until the liquid is smooth and frothy.

In a small heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, add the tofu mixture, parmesan, butter, salt and pepper and cook at a low simmer—you want it bubbling just slightly—until the sauce has thickened, about 25 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, fill a large pot with well-salted water and boil the fettucine until al dente. Divide pasta, ladle sauce over it and grate on more parmesan cheese.

Korean Fried Broccoli Poppers

Serves 4

For the soy-maple sauce

¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar 

For the broccoli

3 cups broccoli florets (from about 1 medium sized head of broccoli)

¾ cup cornstarch, divided

1¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons panko crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup ice-cold seltzer water

½ cup ice-cold vodka

Vegetable oil

To make the soy-maple sauce, place the soy sauce, maple syrup and rice wine vinegar in a small skillet and boil over medium-high heat until reduced into a thin syrup, about 4 minutes. Set aside and reheat when needed.

Steam the broccoli florets until al dente, making sure they don’t get too soft, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss the broccoli in ¼ cup of the cornstarch, and then shake off excess powder. Set aside.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining cornstarch, baking powder, panko, salt and flour. Add seltzer and vodka and whisk in gently. Dunk the broccoli florets into the batter until totally covered.

Once the oil is hot, deep-fry broccoli in batches until they are golden brown, making sure to not overcrowd the wok. Place the fried broccoli to drain on a rack set in a sheet pan. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.