Quick red posole

Sadly, although we had maybe four weeks of summer total here in Portland, autumn has already arrived. The only consolation is that it becomes mandatory to wear scarves, cuddle cats on your lap, and eat soup. One of my favorites, since the first time I had it a couple of years ago, is pozole (or "posole"). It's a hearty Mexican stew-- either tomato- or tomatillo- based-- with hominy and other veggies, garnished with loads of fresh things like lime juice, cilantro, oregano, radish and avocado. I've only made it myself a few times, but far and away the best results have come from the "Quick red posole" recipe from Terry Romero's amazing Latin cookbook, Viva Vegan.

Yes, you can make this filling stew in half an hour. I added a faux meat and served it over spinach to add some green. Garnished with fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, and a dab of Tofutti faux sour cream, this meal was memorable. The hominy maintains its chewy bite, the lime juice added at the end pumps up the sweetness of the tomatoes, and the fresh garnishes add a layer of green pop. I am so excited to eat these leftovers. Heck, I might have posole for breakfast!