My husband and I have a very egalitarian relationship, so it’s interesting to note that ever since I became a stay-at-home mother, we have fallen into some traditional roles around the house. Obviously I now do the majority of the childcare, but it’s more than just that. He does most of the yardwork, the mowing and the raking and the clipping, while I tend to the vegetables. I do almost all of the cooking and the dishes, while he takes out the garbage and sorts the recycling. It’s funny how we have fallen into these roles without ever any discussion, or ever really noticing that it was happening.
He’s been exceptionally busy at work lately, so in an effort to help him out, I recently started taking out the garbage. And I was startled, and delighted, to discover that in a week’s time, we only produce a single kitchen-garbage sized bag of refuse. For a family of five, I’d say that this is pretty remarkable. Obviously we recycle a great deal, but much of the reduction in our waste can also be chalked up to composting. Every little bit of vegetable matter goes into our stainless steel compost container in the kitchen, and every few days it gets walked out to the large, aerated composter in the garden. And every spring, it gets spread over the garden plots and worked into the soil. I am very proud of this fact.
But there is always room for improvement, a fact which hit home when I was contacted by Back To The Roots, a company that produced grow-your-own mushroom kits. The pearl oyster mushrooms grow right out of a bag of used coffee grounds. Coffee grounds! How could I forget that my coffee grounds were compostable? I was very intrigued by the product, and thought it was definitely something I was interested in trying. The idea is fantastic and the company is on track to collect and reuse 1 million pounds of used coffee grounds from Peet’s Coffee & Tea in 2011. Now that is social innovation. I urge you to check out their website and read the story of two young men who were heading into the world of investment banking when they came up with this idea. Back To The Roots.
I received my own mushroom kit at the end of June, but what with kids’ school and vacations and camp, I didn’t get around to trying it until mid-July. I followed the directions and soaked my bag of grounds, then put it back in the box and misted it a couple of times a day every day (they conveniently include a little mister bottle, which will come in handy for other things after I am done with the kit!). I kept the whole thing on our kitchen windowsill, with the window open a crack for fresh air. Nothing happened for a few days and I worried I hadn’t soaked it enough or had done something wrong. But then I saw a little set of spores growing. And when those things decide to grow, it happens fast. Even within a few hours, they’d be bigger than when I last looked at them.
When they looked about as big as they were going to get, I knew I had to think of a recipe to use them up. As always, my mind first went to the elaborate, trying to think of some gourmet dish that would entice my readers. But I was hungry at that exact moment and I really wanted to taste the mushrooms right then and there. I also had some farm-fresh eggs and some brie in the fridge and I realized that a simple omelet would showcase the fresh mushrooms perfectly. So I sauteed them lightly with butter and garlic, whisked my eggs and cream and cut some slices of brie. And I had just about the best lunch I’d had a long time. Oh, and I managed to fire off a few quick photographs before I devoured the whole thing.
The great part is that Back To The Roots would like to give one of my readers their very own mushroom kit. If you like mushrooms, you will love this little kit. It’s really quite fun to watch these things sprout right out of used coffee grounds. And it doesn’t hurt that they are tasty little things too, especially when sauteed with garlic and butter!
Giveaway Rules: CLOSED
Mushroom Brie Omelet
1 tbsp butter
1 cup pearl oyster mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
3 large eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 oz brie, cut into thin slices
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and saute until mushrooms are soft and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan and maintain heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and cream until well combined. Pour mixture into pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until the center is moist but no longer runny and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Arrange mushrooms and slices of brie on one half of the omelet and fold the other half over. Remove pan from heat and let sit another minute or so, until brie is melted.
Oooh, I would make a hot mushroom salad. So delicious.
Thanks for the fun giveaway!
cookandeatrepeat at gmail dot com
That looks heavenly! What a great idea! 🙂 I would make a mushroom sauce to put on toasted bread as an appetizer. Yum!
caroline@chocolateandcarrots.com
OHMIGOSH! This might be the best giveaway ever. I have a US mailing address so please include me. We put mushroom in almost every meal in this house. Clark Kent gets raw mushroom in his lunch and I'm a sucker for roasting them with garlic when I'm short on a side. My favorite 🙂 Thanks for hosting! Buzzed 🙂
Oh, my! You put mushrooms AND brie in the omelet???/ Wow, oh, wow!!! Why have I never thought of that before? I'll be the cheese was an absolute treat there. Mushrooms make frequent appearances at our house, from salads to sautees. My favorite though is sauteed with red wine and served over steak!
I understand the way your roles came about. Myself and my wife didn't really discuss roles when I became a sahd. We just instinctivly knew what to do,weird huh? With the mushrooms I would make a mushroom risotto!!
Thanks for the chance and have a great day!
We recently started composting and too have reduced to one bag of garbage per week. It makes me feel so good to know that I'm doing my tiny part to help.
This mushroom kit sounds fantastic! Such a great idea…and your omelet sounds just perfect. Love these flavors and the highlight of the mushrooms.
This looks yummy! I had no idea that you could grow your own mushrooms – I'll try to find that kit here in Toronto. Thanks for the info!
That is awesome that you guys are composting..it is much healthier way to have great garden produce!
Great giveaway Carolyn..what would I make..hmm probably with pasta, in a creamy sauce:))
I love your pictures, omelet and brie sounds so delicious!!!
My husband and I have evolved in the exact same way – funny! I love that you grew your own mushroom – how cool is that! This omelet looks delicious – I would totally make this omelet with the mushrooms (or a mushroom risotto). 🙂
I LOVE to fix a warm mushroom salad. Kate@kateiscooking.blogspot.com
mushroom quesadilla!
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I'd love to use those mushrooms for a soup.
I'm really impressed at how little garbage your family has. I wish we could have a garbage disposal in our apartment.
keepitsweetlcl at gmail.com
This would be an awesome item to win as my husband and I have just started researching ways to grow our own mushrooms.
With the grown mushrooms I know the first thing I would make for our family of five is a spinach and mushroom stromboli, or maybe a mushroom cream sauce to go on pasta, or possibly on pizza.
WHEW! The possibilities are endless!
The health benefits of mushrooms are just wonderful. If I won a mushroom kit, I would make a mushroom and onion tart!
Thanks for the opportunity.
I would definitely use these mushrooms to put on a burger maybe?! Who knows!
I would definitely put these mushrooms on pizza!
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Your omelet sounds so good! I would make a pasta sauce with the mushrooms, they are beautiful!
Look at that melty brie!! Why have I never thougth to add brie to an omelet?! I would use these mushrooms to stuff into chicken or turkey with a wine reduction sauce! Or use for grilled pizza with ham 😉
Thee are several mushroom kits available – including portabello, our local 99cent store has crimini and portabello almost always – (except when you make a special trip). I would make a selection of mini mushroom quiche's to have one each morning for breakfast – or maybe a lunch with a salad. Mushroom/cheese;mushroom/spinach;mushroom/bacon;mushroom/mushroom!!!!
I have been dying to make thse mushroom soaked in red wine…they look divine
I was thinking about making the same omelet! my son loves eggs, cheese and mushrooms, so why not? Looks great! Love your compost!! Wish I had a back garden!!! We accumulate about the same amount of trash a week too. We recycle a lot living here and it's fantastic! You go Carolyn!!
I would have to make this amazing looking omelet! Yummy!
how cool to grow your own mushrooms! And coffee grounds. just like you most of the time I throw it, only a couple of times I use it for my geranium plants, they love coffee grounds.
The omelet sounds delish, perfect way to start the day
How much fun is that kit! I've always thought about growing mushrooms myself. After all, I've got chickens now so why not that? We've cut down a lot on garbage as well through recycling and composting. It's awesome to think that we're doing our part to make the world a little better for our children, doesn't it?
If I could sneak through the screen, I'd steal that wheel of Brie, just so you know. I'm a Brie addict (so is Dudette for that matter).
Hand me a mushroom and there's a strata in my future. Guaranteed.
This kit sounds like it would be a fun experiment for kids. I'm sure my little man would love to watch these grow. If I won this kit I'd make Mushroom Potstickers once they were ready for harvest.
I just saw one of those mushroom kits a couple weeks ago and I was totally intrigued. I would make a truffle mushroom pasta!
For starters, I'd make that delicious omelet you showed us! In fact, I'm bookmarking it to try this weekend. My husband makes the most amazing chicken and mushroom risotto that we would definitely make with those bad boys!
Mushroom tarts are a favorite in our home so that's what I'd make first.
Lisa~~
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Looks like a fun thing for kids! I'd make a quiche, I think.
tjw28@georgetown.edu
How cool to grow your own mushrooms!! I would make chicken marsala in a heart beat!
I'm loving the idea of growing my own mushrooms! I'd probably incorporate them into a risotto. Perhaps with some brie- that is a fabulous combo you've got going on.
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Yum!!!! I love mushrooms! I add them to just about everything (salads, pasta, eggs, etc….) or eat them stuffed with cheese! My email is mistyjones91@hotmail.com. 🙂
I have that kit! I love it! 🙂 I'm planning to make a bunch of things… tomato sauce with shrooms, omelettes, stuffed shrooms, etc… 🙂
I love these mushrooms. If I grew my own mushrooms I would serve them my favorite way – sauteed in white wine and served over chicken with parmesan cheese.
The other day I saw Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) on the food network making a delicious homemade Cream Of Mushroom soup. If I win this mushroom kit, that is the recipe I want to make with them.
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mmmh delicious!!!
greetings from Milan,Italy!
I buzz you in Foodbuzz! 😉
thetwinkycake.blogspot.com
This sounds WAY yummy! I'm not that big of an egg person but the filling is enough to make me eat this!
What gorgeous mushroom photos. Love the kit and well done on the cut-down on waste. Chapeau to you, Madame!
Normally I am not a fan of eggs, but as a fan of meat and protein I want to love them. I just recently was able to eat some and enjoy it so maybe I can work my way up to this beautiful omelet soon!
Mushrooms Im not huge on either, but the BF loves them so it would be a special treat for him. I would have to a little tastespotting research and find something very focused on mushrooms for him.
This omelet looks AMAZING!
I would saute the mushrooms and make a flat bread pizza with fresh rosemary and goat cheese.
lin@beantowneats.com
Did someone say mushrooms and Brie? Heaven! Well done on your recycling efforts. If only every one was as diligent.
It is SO awesome you grew your own mushrooms – and that omelet is even awesomer. I also love your discussion of gender roles in marriage… 🙂 Ah, twenty-first century…
I hate mushrooms BUT I love to give them to my kids (hypocritical I know but I don't care). I'd put them in everything! But their favorite is on pizza.
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I have seen these mushroom kits before – I'm a science teacher and would LOVE to grow these in my classroom and then have a garden party with my students and eat all kinds of things that we have grown!
Yum!!! Just posted about brie myself and included this. I'd be making it for lunch if I had brie leftover…
I would probably use the mushrooms to serve on top of a steak…my hubby's favorite. 🙂
Do I like mushrooms? I LOVE mushrooms. Please please please let me win.
I would simply saute them in butter and eat them in one sitting all by myself. Just like I've been doing since I was 3 years old. Yes, I've been cooking mushrooms since I was 3.
I like the omelet idea, but I would probably saute some of the mushrooms, onions and garlic with soy sauce. Place all over a nice medium rare steak. YUM!
Ohhh these look wonderful as does the recipe. I would prepare stuffed mushrooms with them..
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Hands down— mushroom and cheese quesadillas!!!
legnaetihw at gmail dot com
I love simple grilled mushrooms at this time of the year — put them on everything: pizzas, sandwiches, salads, eggs, toasted bread w/bruschetta…
lovely giveaway innovative way to have mushrooms
That kit looks pretty cool and fun. Ad your omelet — absolutely fantastic.
Since I sneak mushrooms into practically any dish that I possibly can, I am sure these little guys (once sprouted) could be used in a plethora of ways! First on the list, though, would have to be my Wild Mushroom Sauce over Homemade Gnocchi!! YUMMM
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What a sweet giveaway! I love your omlette idea so much that is must likely what I'd make with those mushrooms! Or maybe ground up into a burger of sorts? The options are endless 🙂
That is the coolest thing I've seen! What a great giveaway. I would make sauteed mushrooms on toast.
What a great giveaway! I've been wanting to try these!
I would dip the mushrooms is balsamic and grill them on rosemary skewers 🙂
Christina AT dessertfortwo DOT com
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Oh how cool is that! I think I would end up doing the exact same thing as you: Brie and mushroom omelet! It's one of my favorite things and I can only imagine what it would taste like with super fresh mushrooms!
Oh how cool is that! I think I would end up doing the exact same thing as you: Brie and mushroom omelet! It's one of my favorite things and I can only imagine what it would taste like with super fresh mushrooms!
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Whew, it took me all day to scroll down here so I can leave a comment. Nice kit. One problem with your theory of chores, the more you do, the less he will, lol.
-GIna-
Look at you growing mushrooms – how freaking cool! This omelette is my kinda meal, especially with that brie. Great giveaway.
What a cool thing…..I never knew you could grow mushrooms that easily. Wow!!
I'd make a flatbread pizza to really spotlight the fresh mushrooms!
Denise @ Creative Kitchen
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Denise @ Creative Kitchen
A mushroom frittata. I have been thinking about buying one of these kits for some time. This looks so cool
I love food in general but I love to cook. My roommates and I have such great times cooking, sharing our day and learning great recipes!
I would make mushroom stuffed burgers. It's such a great way to stuff a big organic beef patty!! It gives great flavor and you can make mushroom and corn fritters to go with it. It's a healthier take on 2 great dishes!!
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I have to commend you on your efforts with composting and waste reduction…I think it is so admirable and it definitely inspires me to try to be more committed to such efforts!
As for the mushroom….wow! I had no idea something like this kit existed, and I am absolutely obsessed with the idea of growing my own mushrooms. I would have to say the first thing that I would make would probably be some kind of grilled pizza with mushrooms and gorgonzola – great combo!
I would make that Mushroom Brie Omelet!!!
This omelet looks amazing! Sauted with onions, smothering a steak sounds really good to me right now though!
Wow! Those mushrooms look amazing! I would make a mushroom alfredo sauce and serve it over shirataki pasta (low carb, of course!)
Thanks so much for all of your great recipes–I use them all the time!
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Oh this sounds divine! I can never say no to brie and mushrooms!
– Brittany
I just saw this post for the first time, and how funny, because I was just talking with someone on Twitter today about mushrooms. She found out that many mushrooms are grown on wheat, barley or rye substrates. No good, for us gluten-free-ers. I'm happy to hear you can grow this on coffee grounds. I think I will give it a try. Especially since, its not currently enjoyable to do any gardening outside in this 100 degree heat. 🙂
I never quite understood this. You get like 10 mushrooms for 30 bucks or so. Or do they keep growing?
There’s two sides and you get way more than 10 mushrooms. I did, anyway. And it’s a lot of fun for kids to see grow.
I found your site while looking for oyster mushroom recipe inspiration….because I am also growing my own in coffee grounds! Mine are still growing but will be ready in a few days and am so excited to post about the whole growing process!