Day 75: Menudo "Soup"

I have been craving menudo.  Menudo is a Mexican soup that has a tomato broth base with lots of spices, hominy, lots of garlic, and beef tripe.  I couldn't eat this soup when I was a little kid because the thought of eating tripe grossed me out, but it's an acquired taste and I learned to love it.

Of course, now that I'm not eating animal products, I thought it would be hard to make it taste like I remember and truthfully, it didn't taste or smell exactly like menudo, but it came pretty close.  My husband said it was more of a menudo soup than actual menudo.  That is what I am calling it.  I looked up a bunch of recipes online and at the book Viva Vegan and then came up with my own concoction:

Menudo Soup

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped in large chunks
1 large tomato, coursely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 12 oz. can of hominy, with liquid
1 12 oz. can of pinto beans, with liquid

4 cups of water

1/2 a packet Menudo Spice Mix
1/2 a tablespoon cumin
1/2 a tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 a tablespoon oregano

2 kale leaves, sliced in ribbons
handful of green beans, cut in small sections
1 summer squash, sliced in rounds and then cut in fourths

Salt to taste

Heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onion, tomatoes, and garlic for 8 minutes or until onions are translucent and tomatoes are starting to break apart.  Add hominy, beans, and water.  Sitr to combine. Add spice mix, cumin, garlic salt, and oregano.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.  Add kale, green beans, and summer squash and stir to combine.  Simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until squash and green beans are tender.  Salt to taste.

Offer lime wedges, thinly sliced cabbage, chopped radishes, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, and chopped serranos, chopped oregano, and avocado slices as accompaniments.  Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Enjoy!