Little Green Chefs Get Cooking

Actress Rachel McAdams (The Notebook) and her two friends have an eco-website called Green Is Sexy, which drives the point home that you need not sacrifice your sassy and saucy style for environmental pursuits.

It's one of the cheekier websites devoted to the subject, and this week there's a post on a book that gets kids into the game by giving a green bent to homemade culinary creations they can whip up with ease. It's a book that, without a doubt, would have been one I would have begged for if only for its name alone: The Green Princess Cookbook.

Maybe making Rice Krispie treats or Toll House cookies wasn't your bag, baby, and that's OK, too, but for those of us whose favorite rainy day activity was a whole afternoon in the kitchen (or with your Easy Bake Oven), this is a book for you, or well, actually, for your kids, your nieces (or nephews), or your friend's kids, any kids you might know. They'll build confidence in the kitchen, and learn more about the environment while they're at it.

Author Barbara Beery runs the Batter Up Kids Cooking School in Austin, Texas, and knows what keeps kids interested: making stuff in a can. Cornbread in a Recycled Can will most assuredly win you coolest house on the block when you plan this for your mini-Julia Child's next sleepover party.

Recipe follows and check out the full post from Green Is Sexy here.

* 10 to 12 empty cans (8 to 14 ounces each), tops and labels removed, washed and dried * Parchment paper * 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal, plus more for cans * 1 cup unbleached flour * 2/3 cup unrefined sugar * 1/2 teaspoon sea salt * 3 teaspoons baking powder * 1 egg * 1 cup plain soy milk * 1/3 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line each can with parchment paper. Generously spray the parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon cornmeal inside each to coat the bottom and lower portion of the sides of each can. Place cans on a sheet pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder with a whisk.

Stir in egg, soy milk, and oil until well combined.

Pour batter into prepared cans, filling three-fourths full. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve in cans or remove before serving. Serve with Hooray for Homemade Butter (page 40 of the book) and honey.

Photo courtesy of Gibbs Smith.