For each of us, summer has a flavor, aromas or color combinations, which when evoked recall memories of past times.
It is a theme that often returns to the reflections of these days.
Where the perception of the heat itself tends to be the predominant sensation and zero the rest, here is the memory of a watermelon or a melon, fresh and sugary, of a juicy tomato caught on the fly and bitten, of a crisp courgette just picked from the 'vegetable garden. I let myself be inspired by the posts of the last few days to prepare today's evocative dish, which wants to be a miscellany to which I could easily give the title: "My summers".
 This is how this basmati rice salad was born with green beans, tomatoes and datterini tomatoes, soy yogurt and a few drops of vegan pesto.
... every ingredient tells me of a summer spent, now here at work, now immersed in some travel. It is a simple, genuine dish, with flavors that mix well and wrap. Ideal for a quick lunch or a picnic.

320 gr brown basmati rice
1 handful of cherry tomatoes
2 auburn tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
2 handfuls of green beans
200 gr of soy yogurt
(you can buy it already made or find the recipe here)
2 handfuls of fresh basil
1 cup of natural cashews
1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast
extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper
ice

Soak the cashews in a container with room temperature water for at least 2 hours.
Put the rice in a thick-bottomed saucepan, cover it with cold water (proportion 1 cup rice: 2 cups water), add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Put the covered saucepan over low heat and cook for absorption for about 20 minutes (or until the water has completely absorbed). Remove from the heat, stir, add 1 more spoonful of oil and move the rice to a glass or ceramic bowl. Fill the sink with cold water and a few pieces of ice and put the bowl in the water (without the water you get in and wet the rice!). Stir occasionally. In this way you will cool the rice fairly quickly, despite the temperatures of these summer days;)

Put in green beans in a pan with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 clove of crushed garlic, a pinch of salt and 1 glass of cold water. Put on low heat and stew the green beans until they are tender (it will take about 20 minutes). Then move them to a bowl and cool them like rice.

Cut the datterini tomatoes in half and the coppery tomatoes into cubes. Put them in a container and season with the remaining crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt.

Pound in a mortar, or for practical use, blend with a blender, basil, baking powder, 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of pepper and cashews previously soaked.

Mix the rice with the beans cut into small pieces of a couple of cm and the two types of tomato. Complete the dish with soy yogurt and pesto, which will soften the salad, taking the place of the classic mayonnaise.