To celebrate Earth Day, Hawaiian Electric Co. presents the Grow Hawaiian Festival, a family event focusing on Hawaii's cultural heritage, native plants and the environment.

See the work of leading Hawaiian arts practitioners and learn the traditional uses of native plants through demonstrations of kapa beating, lau hala weaving, poi pounding, dye making, flute carving and crafting of Hawaiian implements.

Take a tour of the native plants on the grounds of Bishop Museum, purchase a T-shirt made with natural dyes and relax with a healing lomilomi massage.

Discover what you can do to protect the environment at the museum's new interactive exhibit and Hawaiian Electric's information booths. There also will be food booths and entertainment by hula halau Na Pualei o Likolehua and students from Punana Leo o Samuel M. Kamakau, and music by Kaukahi, Holunape and Weldon Kekauoha.

Come early — the first 100 attendees will receive a free, reusable grocery bag.

To pique your appetite for Hawaiian food and culture, here are recipes that feature the taro plant.

BAKED TARO PUFFS

4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups mashed, cooked taro

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, butter two muffin pans with 1 3/4-inch cups.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Work flour mixture into mashed taro.

Shape into 1-inch balls and place in prepared pans. Press pieces of remaining butter into top of each ball. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until puffy and brown. Serve immediately. Yields 2 dozen puffs.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per puff: 40 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, no sugar or protein

BEEF LUAU

3 pounds stew meat
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large onion, chopped
4 quarts water
2 pounds luau (taro leaves)
2 tablespoons salt
Dash of baking soda

In large saucepan, brown meat and garlic. Stir in onion; cook until clear.

Add 2 quarts of the water. Bring to boil, lower heat, and cook 90 minutes or until meat is tender.

Wash luau thoroughly; break off stems and remove fibrous part of stems and veins.

Put stems and leaves into saucepan. Add remaining 2 quarts water, 1 tablespoon of salt and baking soda. Cook until luau is tender, about 30 to 45 minutes; drain.

Stir luau and remaining 1 tablespoon salt into meat mixture. Cook 10 more minutes. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 350 calories, 22 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 100 mg cholesterol, 1,500 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 32 g protein

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For more recipes from Hawaiian Electric Co., visit www.heco.com.