DISCLAIMER- These are not waste-free (yet!)
One thing that I’ve been trying to do is find recipes that I can easily make waste-free. If anything, I’m trying to find recipes that could eventually be done zero-waste; The only reason they aren’t is because we already have the ingredients that aren’t currently.
Here’s a recipe for gluten-free vegan banana muffins I made for a movie night with some friends (one of whom is vegan and gluten-free)! They are super yummy and make a great breakfast/snack!
I got this recipe from Beaming Baker, but made a few adjustments. Thanks to them for the delicious muffin recipe! (You can also check them out for a more detailed recipe.)
The Recipe
3 bananas
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup sugar (use substitute if avoiding cane sugar)
2 flax eggs*
1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk substitute)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups oat flour
1 1/3 cups gluten free rolled oats
1 1/2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsps. cinnamon
chocolate chips (if desired)
- Heat oven to 325˚F (160˚C).
- Mash bananas in large mixing bowl. Then add and whisk together the oil, sugar, flax eggs, milk, and vanilla.
- Add all dry ingredients (flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon) as well as chocolate chips. Incorporate.
- Pour batter into greased muffin tin.
- Bake 20-25 minutes.
- Remove and cool!
Waste-Free Ingredients
For the most part, I was able to find what I needed waste-free, either at the store or in my house!
The oats, flax meal, and chocolate chips can all be super easily bought in bulk!
You don’t even need to buy oat flour. Just grind up the same amount of oats the recipe calls for and you have instant flour! This option is also probably cheaper than buying oat flour!
*Flax Eggs- Mix 1 part flax seed to 3 parts water (I did 2 tablespoons flax seed for this recipe). You can let it sit for 15 minutes or I just put it in the microwave and it thickens up like oatmeal!
I even added chocolate chips to the recipe (because they make every recipe better!)
You could even add nuts/dried fruit if you want. The original recipe suggest sprinkling coconut sugar and more oats on top of the muffins before putting them in the oven.
I also coated the pan with coconut oil instead of using muffin holders. It works just as well and you avoid that extra trash!
Other
Here were the ingredients I was unable to do waste free. I have thought about some potential fixes.
The powders (cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda), could potentially be found in bulk. Otherwise, cinnamon can be bought in a glass jar or you could grind cinnamon sticks into a powder.
Baking soda could also be bought in a carton rather than this jar with a plastic lid.
You can also make your own vanilla. Here’s a recipe I found that my sister and I want to try by the Zero Waste Chef.
Also by the Zero Waste Chef is a recipe for almond milk that I will definitely be trying!
I will definitely try to make these zero-waste next time I make them. It was cool too se what I still need to replace and try to think of/research some alternatives. For the most part, these would easily be made waste-free.
I will post again when I am successful! 🙂
Sustainable student 