This STAR meal combo provides a super easy, satisfying, and filling meal that features a good blend of savory flavors. It offers a rich supply of healthy carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. It is naturally low in fat and cholesterol-free. You can easily modify this meal to highlight seasonal vegetables and turn it into several unique variations or add to this base recipe other vegetables or mushrooms.

If you are new to STAR meals, begin by watching the video: How to Make Plant-Based STAR Meals: A 5 Step Process.

Meal characteristics:

  • Whole food
  • Plant-based / Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Oil-free
  • Sugar-free
  • Nut-free

Prep time:

  • ~ 20 minutes

Tools needed:*

  • Pots and pan
  • Cutting board
  • Lemon reamer
  • High-speed blender (optional)
  • Dishes and utensils

STAR Meal Steps for This Combo*

Step 1: Pick a starch-rich food.

Preparation:

  • Cook a desired amount of quinoa, depending on how many people you are cooking for. Typically, 1 cup of dry quinoa makes about 2 cups of cooked quinoa, which can serve 2 to 4 people.
  • 1 cup of dry quinoa requires 1.5 cups of water; bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, stir, cover with a lid, and cook on lowest heat setting for 10 to 15 minutes until all of the water is fully absorbed.
  • To cut down on your meal prep time, use batch cooked quinoa, by cooking a bigger portion at once, and then using it over several days for your meals.

Step 2: Pick a Mushroom (optional)

No mushrooms are used for this combo, but you are free to add some if you desire.

Step 3: Pick 2 to 4 Vegetables

  • Organic broccoli
  • Organic tomatoes

Preparation:

  • Use a steamer to steam the broccoli or the pan method by placing a thin layer of water on a stainless steel skillet (pan), and letting it heat up on low-medium with the lid on.
  • Wash your desired quantity of broccoli, trim the stalk end, remove any hard parts, and cut up the broccoli stalk and florets into desired pieces.
  • Place the chopped broccoli into your pan, cover back with the lid, and let it steam cook for about 5 minutes, just to gently soften.
  • Wash a desired amount of tomatoes, remove the core, and chop them up. You can keep them fully raw or add them to the pan with the broccoli for the last minute of cooking, just to warm and soften gently. Do not overcook your vegetables.

Step 4: Add a Bean (optional)

No beans or bean foods are used for this combo, but you are free to add some if you desire.

Step 5: Add a Creamy (Nut or Seed) Sauce

The sauce ingredients for this combo are as follows and will make about 1 cup of sauce.

Preparation:

  1. Wash the lemon, roll it on a hard surface to help release the juices, and cut it in half. Using your lemon reamer, extract all of the juice from both halves into your blender or into a bowl (if mixing by hand).
  2. Peel the garlic clover and add it to your blender. If you are mixing by hand, then you must either use garlic powder or mince the fresh garlic clove very finely.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients into your blender (or bowl). Blend on high speed or mix vigorously with a fork until a smooth and creamy mixture results. Adjust the sauce consistency by adding a little more water, if needed.
  4. The sauce is very simple, yet very savory. You can more or less of the tahini and nutritional yeast depending on what you prefer.

Alternate Version: Potato - Broccoli - Mushroom - Tahini STAR Meal

The version pictured below uses boiled potatoes instead of quinoa and includes crimini mushrooms, along with the broccoli, tomatoes, and tahini sauce.

Meal Nutritional Benefits

Quinoa

  • provides healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and is naturally low in fat
  • provides antioxidants, phytonutrients, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, specifically vitamin A, E, and most B vitamins, including folate
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, selenium, and iron
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, and other diseases

Broccoli

  • provides healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and is virtually fat-free
  • provides lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provides vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and most B vitamins, including folate
  • provides minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protects against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, infections, and other diseases

Tomatoes

  • provide some carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and are virtually fat-free
  • provide lots of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, K, and some B vitamins, including folate
  • provide minerals, especially potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, chromium, and zinc
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • support healthy eye health, immune health, and digestive health
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, and other diseases

Sesame Seeds / Tahini

  • provide healthy fats, protein, some carbohydrates, and fiber
  • provide phytonutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits
  • provide vitamins, especially vitamin A and most B vitamins, including folate
  • provide minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes type 2, osteoporosis, and other diseases

Lemons

  • provide alkalizing, cleansing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial benefits
  • provide lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
  • provide some vitamins and minerals, most specifically vitamin C
  • support optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • support healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and liver function
  • protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, infections, and other diseases

Garlic

  • provides anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties
  • provides lots of phytonutrients and antioxidants
  • provides vitamins, especially vitamin C and some B vitamins
  • provides minerals, especially manganese, selenium, calcium, phosphorus, and copper
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • supports the immune system and iron metabolism
  • protects against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes type 2
  • supports healthy blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels

Nutritional Yeast

  • great source of highly-digestible protein and nutrients
  • provide vitamins, especially B vitamins, including vitamin B12
  • provide minerals, especially molybdenum, iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • for more info, see the nutritional yeast overview on Best Natural Foods
  • Tips: Choose a reputable brand of nutritional yeast, as vitamin and mineral amounts will vary widely and some can contain GMO contamination. Note, not all brands contain vitamin B12, so choose a dependable source. Sari Nutritional Yeast is all-natural and non-fortified.

Unrefined Salt

  • unrefined sea salt unrefined Himalayan salt
  • naturally alkalizing
  • a source of over 80 essential and trace minerals
  • supports optimal blood pressure, heart and nervous system health
  • supports optimal health, weight, healing, and prevention
  • Health Tip: avoid all forms of refined, white salt and processed foods made with it

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