Eating Green: Back to the Roots

I'm sure you've heard it said that it's good to eat local food. It's great to eat food from your own garden, too. Now Back to the Roots makes it possible to grow mushrooms right in your own kitchen.

I got a chance to review Back to the Roots, a grow-your-own mushroom kit that's really easy to use. You simply cut a slit in the box and bag, and spritz down so it stays damp. The website has some great pictures, too - as well as a lot of fun recipes (so visit the website even if you don't want to buy a box, just for great ideas using mushrooms). Each kit lets you grow up to 1 1/2 pounds of oyster mushrooms. It was a lot of fun for my daughters, too. Both girls loved spritzing the mushrooms down with the included spritzer, and the older one was fascinated by watching them grow each day.

The company is also very socially conscious. The mushrooms grow in recycled coffee grounds - in 2011, they'll save around a million pounds of coffee grounds from the landfill, and they encourage composting when you're done with your kit. They also help support urban gardens for schools and communities.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary box from Back to the Roots to facilitate this review.