Mind Body Soul Food
  • Home
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Partners & Collaborations
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Resources
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Sunspiration
  • Contact

A Journey into Thought & Spirit

Slow Cooker Vegane Grünkohl & Wurst Recipe & Tour: A Northern German Tradition that Celebrates Kale

2/22/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Oh Germany. Where has time gone? I can't believe I've been home from living in Germany for 13 months now. It still feels like yesterday. 

February is one of my favorite months. Maybe it's because of mine and Charles Dickens birthday, and I love my zodiac sign, Aquarius, but some of the most brilliant minds and artists have been born in Feburary: Abe Lincoln. George Washington, Bob Marley, Nicholas Copernicus, Laura Ingells Wilders, Johnny Cash and more!
Picture
While living in Germany, we experienced something called a Grünkohlfahrt near the end of February. Kohl means, “cabbage.” Grünkohl, directly translated, means, “green cabbage,” but Americans know it as kale. Fahrt means “ride or tour.”

It's a dying Northern German tradition, but today, I want to keep that spirit alive. A green cabbage tour is simply a day spent wandering in the forest with friends, drinking, eating and playing games. The leader of the pack pit stops the wagon for a shot of schnapps and a quick stop for a snack. 

You can read more about my experience at: 
Grünkohl Tour: A Northern German Tradition that Celebrates Kale

Normally I stick to #wholefoods but I can't resist making a #vegan German #grünkohl and #wurst recipe in the crockpot. The #blog goes live in the next hour and these kielbasas are surprisingly wonderful! #veganfood #healthy #seattle #vegantravel #veganrecipes #tofurky #germany #travel #diet #nutrition #food #food52 #foodie #foodporn #essen #nutrition #healthcoach #healthyeating #healthyfood #lifestyle

A post shared by Elizabeth Kovar (@erkovar) on Feb 22, 2017 at 9:26am PST

Why do Germans do this? The green cabbage tour is not an excuse to drink like St. Patty's Day, but its to honor the earth and celebrate the harvest of kale. In Germany, kale is only available during the winter months. That's right folks. They do not have the luxury of eating kale salads, or green smoothies, in the summer because it is a winter vegetable with february marking the end of it's season. 

Many towns in Germany also host a green cabbage festival. It's cute. It's quaint. It reignites their peasant and pagan roots to celebrate the blessings from the earth. 


Picture
The forests in Germany are steeped with deep wisdom. We were lucky on our tour because it didn't snow. The air smelled fresh and the tiny little village rested in peace and serenity. 

I wish our American traditions rooted back to nature, but sadly modern day living is all about work, work and work. And our relationship with food in our culture is very unhealthy. 

When discovering a culture with ancient roots, it's amazing how food becomes a metaphor for life. And Germans definitely have a connection with their sausages. Even a simple quote such as, "Es gent um die Wurst," which literally translates, "It's about the sausage" means, "It's do or die/now or never the moment of truth."
Picture
This recipe is simple to make. All you need to do is put everything in the crockpot for six hours. I did add the potatoes partway to ensure that they didn't break down like mashed potatoes. Cooked grunkohl looks more like spinach, so you are more than welcome to add more broth to the recipe. 

Original recipes include cooking the grunkohl with bacon (or bacon fat), pork belly, bones or really anything from a pig, which aides in the breaking down and creaminess of the kale. At the end of the day, the vegan version is just as flavorful. 

I conclude with one of my favorite Germany sayings below: 
Picture

"Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei."

"Everything has an end, only the sausage has two."

Picture
Slow Cooker Vegane Grünkohl & Wurst
Cook Time: 6 hours
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 package of vegan sausages (used Tofurky's kielbasa)
15 oz. kale  (used 1.5 bags from two 10 oz. bags of kale to stuff the crock pot)
7 vegan bacon slices, chopped (used Yves)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp. vegan butter
2 cups hot water + 1 bouillon cube (or vegetable broth)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard (or yellow)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1lb. (14) small Dutch yellow potatoes (or any small white/yellow potato)

Directions:
Prep the onion, bacon and mix the bouillon cube in 2 cups of hot water. Cook the onion in 1 tbsp of vegan butter. When translucent, add the onions on top of the kale.  

Stuff the crock pot with kale and then place all the ingredients, except for the potatoes, into the pot. Cook on the six hour setting. **At 2.5 hours, wash the potatoes and add them into the crockpot. Let the meal cook for the remainder of the time.

Serve warm with ketchup or mustard for the "wurst" and/or potatoes. 

**If you are not around the slow cooker, you can boil the potatoes in water with salt until edible. 


Read about my green cabbage tour at: Grünkohl Tour: A Northern German Tradition that Celebrates Kale

Let's Connect!

Yum
2 Comments
https://www.essaywritingboo.com/essaymama-com-review/ link
12/31/2018 10:23:29 pm

That makes me so hungry. I am currently at work and seeing this blog makes me hungry. I guess that I would really love that sausage. It was a good combination in potato salad as well. It was really a perfect timing because I am looking for something fatty food an at the same time, a salad. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe. I am hoping to see more recipe and dishes from you that will benefit all of your viewers.

Reply
Mumbai Female Escorts link
3/23/2020 07:17:45 am

We are one and only Mumbai call girls offer the models housewife Our world famous low rate Whatsapp Number Call girls service in Mumbai provide high class female escorts service provider where you can find the first-class call girls in Mumbai. Beautiful Call Girls directory of you find here the best female escort for booking call girls in Mumbai latest new sexy very good looking professional female most lovely Call Girls directory escorts service in Mumbai call girls provider in so please visit the website http://www.mumbaibeautygirls.com/

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Elizabeth Rae Kovar M.A. is  Author of her memoir, Finding Om and is a Fitness Trainer, Yogi, Reiki Master, Presenter and Lover of Life. To view her portfolio please visit www.elizabethkovar.com
    Follow her travels at: lemontreetravel.com

    Picture
    Follow
    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Categories

    All
    Body
    Food
    Metaphysics
    Mind
    Soul
    Sunspiration
    Vegan Recipes
    Wellness Travel
    YouTube

    Archives

    October 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Partners & Collaborations
  • Blog
  • Books
    • Resources
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Sunspiration
  • Contact