fresh organic strawberries with vanilla soycream, garnished with pineapple leaves

i recently lent out both my copy of extraveganza and of veganomicon, but this post has helpings of each.  first, from memory, i made the strawberry jalapeno cornbread muffins… they weren’t quite like i remembered, but i was surprised i got the proportions pretty right as far as wet and dry ingredients!  they are also seasoned with oregano and fresh basil.  i had a mine alongside a simple pinto beans and rice soup:

with the leftover basil from the muffin-making, and a deliciously ripe pineapple waiting for me on the counter, i threw together a cashew-veggie-rice stir-fry, and i seem to remember something similar appearing in veganomicon (only using quinoa instead of rice, and probably some other vegetables).  i really wanted the vegetables to come through in this and to try some different flavoring, so i omitted the usual soy sauce and added a pinch of five-spice powder and a dash of balsamic vinegar (a combination i recently learned and love, especially with fresh basil).

i almost exclusively buy raw cashews (for making raw food and nut cheeses), so i toasted mine in the oven before adding them to the rice and veggies.  the smell of freshly toasted nuts is one of my favorite smells, and adds a nice depth of flavor too.  what went into this dish is as follows: yellow onion, garlic, fresh ginger, carrots, broccoli, yellow bell pepper, pineapple, cashews, fresh basil, scallions, balsamic vinegar, and sea salt (cooked up in a bit of canola oil, of course).  see how that bit of broccoli glows!

and for dessert, the warmth of the spring air inspired a simple treat i remember from swedish summers (only vegan, now!): fresh strawberries with vanilla soycream and a little dusting of sugar.  oh, how the later-night-light makes me happy…