It’s Friday so I’m giving away mushrooms, naturally! #duh
Actually, in all seriousness, this is super cool, guys. Back to the Roots is a company founded by two guys in Oakland, California. Their short story goes like this: two dudes graduate from UC Berkeley, flip their noses at the corporate world and instead decide to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds. Sounds kind of crazy…errr…awesome, right? Well, I think so. Who doesn’t drink coffee? Who doesn’t love mushrooms? No one, that’s who! And growing food off of waste? Pretty incredible stuff.
Here’s the deal: this kit here allows you to grow oyster mushrooms in about 10 days (in soil that’s 100% coffee grounds from Peet’s!). All you do is place it on your windowsill, mist (mister included in kit) it once a day and ten days later…boom! Mushrooms. Genius. Cute. Moldy. All words to describe this super smart idea. Get on it!
Giveaway deets:
Leave a comment telling me what summer dishes you’re digging so far (I need some inspiration). I’ll randomly (using my trusty random calculator) pick a winner on Sunday at midnight (EST).
Aaaaaand go!
Update, schupdate! Back to the Roots is giving ACK readers a 10% discount. Just type in this promo code at checkout: Mushrooms4me10
Winner UPDATE!! Sarah (number 124) is the winner! Yay! Lots o’ mushrooms in your future, Sarah. Thanks everyone for playing!
17
Jun
Back to the Roots Giveaway!
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What a fun giveaway! We’ve been eating a lot of tabouleh around these parts lately, complete with cherry tomatoes, red onions, and chevre. Also, inspired by your recent toast post, I’ve been eating an embarrassing amount of sliced strawberry & dark chocolate almond spread toast.
I love potato salad the way my Mother made it…..so we’re eating our share of potato salad this summer.
Falafel on rucola with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado and sweet chili dressing, complement this easy salad with roasted pine nuts and your in salad heaven. I’d love to see some falafel, chickpeas recipes? love the site
I’m really into kebabs and grilled corn on the cob. I recently grilled corn and then slathered it in chipotle honey butter. It was amazing! I also just made this fantastic blackberry limeade that just screams summer.
That looks like so much fun! I would love to grow mushrooms beside my herb garden at my apartment. Think of the homemade bolognese! Currently I am obsessed with grilling. Bacon wrapped jalapenos especially..I like coming up with different filling combinations. I have also been picking blackberries in hopes of making some ice cream and pies!
I am digging tuna pasta salad. I’m trying to get fancy and come up w something delish. I added olives, radishes, and 3 different kinds of cheese last time that was pretty good.
Yesterday we had pasta with olive oil, basil, garlic and fresh tomatoes. It was so light and yummy! We also had a cucumber and cherry tomato salad with items from our garden.
I’m digging anything salad. So good for summer!
Right now I have been having a lot of smoothies. I add banana, spinach, milk, flax, and vanilla protein powder. Nice and ice cold is very refreshing in the afternoon.
Tons and tons of pesto with fresh basil!
I would love to win! I’ve always wanted to grow my own mushrooms! My favorite summer dish is a salad with seared scallops, grilled peaches, tomatoes, corn and some lime juice + zest. It tastes like summer in a bowl to me.
I’ve been making use of the summer veggies coming out: thin crust pizzas (with baby spinach, orange bell pepper, pineapple); big chunks of red onion, asparagus, bell peppers, and tomatoes tossed with olive oil/balsamic/sea salt then roasted; julienned cukes/carrots/red onion/cold rice noodles tossed with sweet sesame dressing. That sort of good stuff!
I’ve never thought about growing my own mushrooms, tbh, but that looks super cool
I am all about the grilled panzanella salad. Stick your olive-oil brushed veggies right on the grill and toss with crusty bread and a yummy vinaigrette – YUM!!
We just harvested our garlic scapes and I am digging the pesto I made with them! I wish I had enough to last all year!
I’m loving grilled salmon with different toppings. We did a fruit salsa for it the other day and it was fabulous.
Cold noodle and rice dishes. Korean bimbimbap, peanut soba, vietnamese/thai noodle bowls, and summer rolls. Great way to use up the new herbs and whatever vegetables you have hanging in the drawers.
I’m loving Russian Eggplant Spread (Recipe here: http://yellebellyboo.blogspot.com/2011/06/russian-eggplant-spread.html) If you have eggplants in your garden or can get them from a local farmer’s market it makes all the difference! Eat it on french bread, you’ll die!
I am loving all the fresh corn that we cook out on the grill. So sweet and delicious. I am also loving fresh pesto made with basil and pecans. I can’t get enough cucumbers either!
grilled corn salsa and watermelon salad with mint and feta cheese. strawberry jams too
Spring risotto with asparagus, lemon and peas!
http://foodfortodd.blogspot.com/2011/06/spring-risotto-with-lemon-asparagus-and.html
This is so fun! We’re obsessed with growing our own everything
I have a zucchini about ready to pick in the garden. I’m looking forward to grilled zucchini slices rolled up and stuffed with goat cheese and a fat basil leaf.
I have been craving coleslaw something fierce lately. Something about the crunch and the freshness just screams summer.
Also, I saw this in a magazine and have been coveting it since!
grilled chicken sandwiches on homemade bread!
Homemade ricotta with grilled crostini, bruscetta with grilled crostini (what is better than bread? Grilled bread), grilled chicken with oregano dressing (Bobby flay recipe). Waiting for more local veggies to pop up.
Caprese Salad! Pasta Salad! Chicken Salad! Tuna Salad! I am sensing a theme here… Also, burgers. Pretty much any summer food is good with me.
if you ask my son…Popsicles! but for rest of us, we’ve been enjoying pizza on the grill with any toppings we can think of!
I’d have to say Caprese salad as well! And other yummy salads with candied pecans, goat cheese & sprouts (and other ingredients as well!)
Sadly, I’m eating whatever is in my freezer right now…I’m 24 weeks pregnant and having a fair number of contractions already (also happened with my first baby). I’m totally craving sweets, though, and I’d love for someone to come make me a big batch of lemonade granita to eat in the afternoons while I’m resting.
I’m loving anything with fresh basil or tomatoes in it right now. And being able to grill out again!
lots of corn dishes….like grilled corn cakes with beans and cheese
and I second the tomato recipes…I’ve made caprese salad twice in the past month…mmmm
SALSAS! I love making fruit salsas, black bean salsas, tomato and mozzarella salsas. They are all super easy, healthy and portable! so you can take them to potlucks or on picnics! Plus they are good for dipping or eating with a fork!
Really loving roasted cauliflower with garlic, just can’t get enough of it! Though I plan to start using my new basil soon.
Corn on the cob and watermelon. Getting my kids to eat anything else for the past two weeks has been torture….for them and me!
I love pasta salad with fresh veggies! Such a great summer dish! Great giveaway!
A grilled panzanella salad. My favorite part is grilling the bread and then rubbing cut garlic all over them. Yum!
Lots of Vietnamese cuisine…especially homemade spring rolls…and Korean cold noodles, which is cool and refreshing in this summer heat!
I’m in love with a beet salad right now. It’s beets, capers, feta, with the beet greens.
That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen!! I’m feeling some italian bread, toasted, with fresh mozzarella, basil plucked off the plant, and sliced fresh tomatoes. Yum!
Farmer’s Market finds: goat, roasted beets, BLT salad, corn on the cob. And of course, the summer staples – grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with homemade potato salad and deviled eggs (from the Farmer’s Market).
Lately I’ve been eating a lot of vaguely Asian dishes, mostly using up leftovers from the samgyeopsal we made for my brother’s wedding (he married an awesome woman from Korea). It’s been fun using soybean paste, sesame seeds, and chili paste on my vegetables!
Basil Chicken Burgers with Pesto Mayo!<— I could eat this everyday but I'm 8.5 months pregnant and crazy lazy because of that so mostly I am digging pickles wrapped in various things like salami, cheese, tortillas, etc. heh!
Chicken pesto wraps and salads. Yum. I can’t wait tell my garden produce starts coming on strong.
I love watermelon salad with mint. It’s so refreshing!
Oh, I am loving raw zucchini “noodles” tossed with slow roasted tomatoes, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon infused olive oil and salt to taste. It’s so quick and easy to throw together for a light lunch or dinner!
I’m really into trying new salads this summer. Like interesting combinations I normally wouldn’t think of. For example: green beans, pecan, penne pasta, red grapes, and bacon with a mayo vinagrette. Sounds stronge, no? But it’s delicious!
I’ve been making pesto pizza on the grill- whole wheat dough, pesto, corn, black beans, chopped up artichoke hearts and fresh mozz. Weird combo, but it works!!
Fresh … tomatoes, cucumbers, fruit … refreshing and cool … so good!
Very very cool!
So far this summer my fav dish has been the shaved fennel & zucchini salad with dill, from Super Natural Every Day. My fiance, who doesn’t love salad, asked for thirds. That just doesn’t happen!
Also, popsicles. Wanting to try that cherry-tequila one I saw on Lottie & Doof yesterday….
I am loving kabobs right now. So much variety and it is so fun grilling out.
I am loving kabobs right now. So much variety and it is so fun grilling out.
I say something with basil. Maybe a basily berry salad? Yum!
Anything with berries! We’ve been adding berries to salads, oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream…
What a cool giveaway item!
My favorite thing to make so far this summer has been ice cream. So far I’ve done vanilla custard and dulce de leche. Next is peppermint and lemon sorbet!
As far as cooking…I’d have to say risotto, with whatever’s fresh at the farmers’ market.
Oh my god. SO effing cool!!!
My favorite summer dish so far is a quinoa salad with avocado, grapefruit, jicama, jalapeno, red onion, and peach. I top it with generous salt and pepper and a dash of agave nectar. It’s a weird, colorful mix of delicious flavors.
I have to say it’s the pesto! It’s probably our families favorite summer ingredient. I’ve made it with quesadillas,
pasta, on a hamburger, in a baked potato and on a pizza.
It just tastes like summer!
Feta and spinach burgers with summer salads. Nothing better than grilling!
this is such a cool idea!
my favorite summer dish has to be fresh tomato and bread salad. yum. yum. yummers.
Fresh salsa, with most ingredients from my garden!!
I’ve been digging the mango mint sorbet I made last week. Sweet, tart, minty. Perfect.
I am loving green smoothies this summer!
Grilled potatoes with a lemony mayo dressing. The recipe is from Susie Middleton’s Fast, Fresh & Green.
grilled corn on the cob with chipotle lime butter and fresh sprinkled feta!!
Juicking with my toddler who *hates* veggies: 2 oranges, 1 apple, 2-3 carrots, spinach + whatever else in season. YUM!
That’s the coolest thing I’ve heard in a long time!
Grilled fruits and vegetables!!
i’ve been crazy about yellow squash lately. especially squash casserole yummmmmmmmm!!!!!
Fresh cherries all by themselves… does that even count as a dish? Idk. They’re delicious either way.
Wow, mushrooms in coffee grounds?!? I’ve got to try that. So far I’m using tons of tomatoes this summer. Delcious caprese salads and pizza margherita.
This looks awesome! How stinking creative. I am personally loving the fabulous light lunch I’m currently enjoying. I took this recipe http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/01/southwest-stuffed-bell-peppers/ and subbed quinoa for the rice, nixed the bell peppers, and made it a delish nacho topping. It. Is. Amazing.
I am loving salads, so many fresh greens and berries right now! YUM!
I am loving orange sorbet this summer. Costco has great sunkist oranges and my Cuisenart ice cream maker makes it the perfect consistency. Love! I’m also loving this mushroom idea. How fun…and green!
gazpacho!
i’m all into making tons of ice cream and salads with lots of greens, peppers, feta cheese and strawberry balsamic. we even put the mixture (without the greens) on a pizza last night. glorious!
I’m really loving BBQ pulled pork from the crock pot. It doesn’t heat up the house and there’s plenty of leftovers. I also just had to get a watermelon and some feta. Spinach, watermelon, and feta salad is just too good!
Anything with watermelon. We always wait until my husband’s birthday on June 13th before buying any. We know they’ll be sweet by that date. I always start with seedless and try to use it in anything I can think of. The season is short and we’ll be dreaming of watermelon long after they are all gone!
Strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream! Not very original but it’s my favorite!
swordfish kebabs (and veggies, too!) marinated in lime and garlic! cooks up quick and tasty
I’m digging anything with basil & tomatoes. AND…these mushrooms are the coolest thing in the world!
Reuben Sandwich. Corned Beef that I cooked all night on low. Sauerkraut, Swiss, and sauce (Thousand Island and Chili Powder is the best sauce!) all on Marbled Rye.
Squash & zucchini! And hoping for tomatoes very very soon!
I always love to barbecue in the summer. Kabobs are always a hit, from veggie, meat or fruit! and of course everything served with a nice cold glass of agua fresca or sangria.
Chilled Ratatouille over Angel Hair pasta. Throw in some fresh basil for that extra Yum!
we’ve been making thick turkey sandwiches with avocado, romaine, cheddar, and chipotle mayo. amazing local bread bakery called Borealis. love love love.
So far Strawberry rhubarb crumb pie and tomato and basil salads. It’s growing faster than I’m using it so far!
Watermelon salad and rhubarb lemonade
Lots of turkey burgers, including a jerk turkey burger with mango habanero salsa and grilled pineapple. Yummy.
This is soooo neat! I just made a strawberry upside-down cake (Joy the Baker) on Monday. It was a looooong Monday with lots and lots of traffic after work and this cake was no-fuss, yummy and fresh!
Oh my gah, I’ve been enjoying home-grown cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper. Favorite dish ever.
Also, I need more fungus in my life.
This is so cool!
I totally made a quiche last night for dinner. It had bacon in it (which, admittedly is not super summery, but it’s bacon–I don’t limit it to a season), but it should have had lots of veggies in it too. Especially mushrooms.
Any kind of pesto with salads, pastas, and sandwiches! I love pesto… summer or not!
Grilled asparagus, season is running out so any grilled veggie!
I love spinach and strawberry salad……..if summer ever makes it to WA state I will be making it!
grilled fish tacos! ok i didn’t make them but i want to. they were refreshing and delish with a fruit salsa and cinnamon black beans.
With an overabundance of zucchini, I made this up: Toss some cubed, drained extra firm tofu with oil. Cook at 350 till dry and golden. Meanwhile, sautee zucchini slices in oil with Baharat spice (I think it’s Moroccan). Mix tofu with zucchnin, as well as some feta crumbles and fresh mint. It’s delicious!
Peach cobbler! And home made ice cream, woo hoo!
Probably fresh berries – I love them heaped on Greek yogurt and drizzled with honey.
I’m loving quinoa this summer. Especially mixed with kale, lemon, parsley, walnuts and goat cheese. Yum! Thanks for the beautiful blog, it’s always an inspiration.
Those mushrooms are the best! How neat!
I love watermelon in the summer — a really yummy “salad”-ish thing with watermelon: watermelon with marinated pork but and pickled watermelon bitters. A little bit of goat cheese for added awesomeness.
One of my go to spring recipes is a strawberry tart with fried basil leaves. It never fails to be wonderful!
Fried peaches served with vanilla ice cream! An easy and delicious way to get rid of extra peaches even if they’re not in great condition.
Couscous, cucumber, feta, watermelon, oil, and vinegar. Perfect.
Cucumber chips with hummus is delicious, and lite! I’ve been baking chicken, and then finishing it on my stovetop grill with some homemade “bbq” sauce (ketchup, honey + hot sauce). It’s easy, quick + delicious. Gotta have bbq in the summer!
Last Saturday, I made Warm Strawberry Cupcakes; these are baked and served in tea cups. I would highly recommend the concept. This week I made a deep dish mix berry pie for my husbands birthday, and it goes well with whipped cream, ice cream and we even tried it with plain Greek yogurt.
I have been making lots of different kinds of salad. I literally can eat salad all day long. Love them! Panzanella, Southwestern style chicken salad, grilled shrimp salad etc.
SaladSaladSalad! From my garden! I never grow tired of it. (I love the story behind Back to the Roots and this is an awesome giveaway… thanks for the chance to get a mushroom kit!)
I’m digging steak caesar salads.
A salad of strawberries, avocado, feta, and balsamic. It sounds so wrong but it tastes so right!
Traditional Maine Lobster Rolls for me!
Found a great site from Maine Lobster Direct and they ship live Maine lobsters to your front step. Delicious!!
Oh cool! I don’t like mushrooms but mom’s a freak. xD
Upside down Rhubarb cake. I know it’s technically a dessert and not a dish but…I love it! and it’s from my garden and totally yum!
I love cooking my chipotle burgers in the summertime. They are smoky and spicy and delicious. Pair that with a nice, cold lemon bar and you have yourself a nice little evening. I also am sending you a recipe that includes oyster mushrooms so you can cook with your crop!
http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2008/06/recipe_detail.html?id=6789
It has been too hot to cook so we have been having salads and ice cream. We’ll have to break out the grill soon.
I have been too busy with school to cook but now since I’m on my break I’m going to try and whip up some new dishes!! But my classic favorite dishes are chicken and mushroom Alfredo lasagna yummyyyyy!! And pretty much anything that has to do with eggplants
I always make mario batali’s fresh plum tomato sauce when tomatoes are in season. Takes just minutes to come together, and tastes better than anything that’s been simmering for hours. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ciao-america-with-mario-batali/fresh-plum-tomato-sauce-recipe/index.html
is it summer, really? we still have erratic spring weather in boston but we’re digging greens (spinach and potato, peas patties) and a ton of eggs (boiled, scrambled, omelettes with jalapenos and cheese)
Pico de gallo, salsa, or anything grilled! Summer food is so much fun!
Made an incredible orange basil grilled chicken last weekend that will be entering the regular rotation.
Gazpacho! I made it for the first time for my boyfriend’s birthday and it was a hit! It’s gotta be chunky, crunchy and cold, cold, cold!
One of my summer favorites is “Summer Tomatoes” from a Susan Branch cookbook–tomatoes fresh off the vine, sauteed onions and tomatoes, plus basil and cream–yum! I’m also waiting to try some homemade frozen deserts from cookinglight that look delicious–mint and watermelon popsicles–yes please! Anything with fresh produce and mint in the summer I love.
Anything BBQ’d! Especially homegrown corn and zucchini. I made your caramel sauce for the cookies yesterday and put it on apple slices. Yum!
Anything with watermelon in it!
Veggies on the grill. Asparagus is nice, as are turnips, new potatoes, and even sweet potatoes. I’m really liking a simple salad of chickpeas and sweet potato cubes dressed with lemon and olive oil with some cheese thrown in.
I’ve been too busy with grad school summer classes to cook much recently, but I’m always a fan of a good stir fry. Also, brie and feta grilled cheese sandwiches are the best grilled cheese sandwiches ever. They’re good with some wilted spinach too. Yummy! Oh, and roasted red potatoes and asparagus – chop em up, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a liberal helping of garlic, and throw em in the oven until they’re ready to eat. Delicious and easy!
Summer squash and tomato pasta with cheese. Awesomely delicious and super healthy!
http://delectablymine.blogspot.com/2011/06/spaghetti-with-squash-and-tomatoes.html
Orzo with feta, spinach, tomatoes balsamic vinegar an olive oil! I make a big batch an literally eat it for almost every meal until it’s gone
The recipe I’m current obsessed with is Deb at Smitten Kitchen’s zucchini and goat cheese pizza. It’s a cold pizza spread with goat cheese and covered in thin slices of zucchini and summer squash… I auditioned it the other night for a role at our upcoming family picnic and I can’t stop eating it!
Whoa – what a crazy awesome product!! I’m hooked on strawberry spinach salads with a homemade strawberry vinaigrette : )
I’m loving grilled artichokes and asparagus pizzas. So yummy, especially when the produce is from the farmers market!
Mmmmmmm….turnip greens, onions and bacon with lots of apple cider vinegar!
Cedar planked salmon on the grill. The wild salmon is delicious now and my family can’t get enough of this delicious, easy entree.
Spinach, watermelon and strawberry salad topped with crab meat. ah-may-zing
Grilled tuna steaks, spicy and medium rare!
I LOVEE ina garten’s roasted brocolli!! YUM YUM YUMMM!!!
I’ve been comsuming large amounts of Jora’s Panzanella– there are no words for how good this is, and it’s so perfect for summer. http://domesticreflections.blogspot.com/2010/09/when-life-gets-you-down-try-some.html