30 Earth Day Recipes

A collection of plant-based recipes that aim to reduce food and plastic waste. They’re good for you and the Earth. Happy Earth Day!

Hey, it’s me again, and it’s still Earth Day. 

You might have just seen my post earlier today on my 16 Sustainable Swaps, where I share my favorite products and methods to help ease my carbon footprint. 

Silicone bags and reusable paper towels aside, we can also make a huge difference by simply bringing less product packaging into our homes!

Much of this comes in the form of pre-packaged foods and convenience items that we can easily recreate at home. 

In this Earth Day Recipes post, I’m sharing a resource of my favorite homemade recipes to cut back on plastic purchasing. 

By making nut butters, dips, jams, granolas, dog treats, bars, bites, and drinks at home, we can make a big dent in our plastic problem. 

While it may not be feasible to make *all* of these yourself *all* of the time, every little bit helps. 

Pick one or two f these easy vegan and gluten-free recipes to add into your weekly rotation.

Who knows, they might become a new staple for you!

Homemade Nut Butter

Making your own nut butter at home is so easy and delicious and saves a plastic jar from the store.

• 2-Ingredient Roasted Hazelnut Nutella: Homemade Nutella made with roasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate. Lower sugar and oil-free with just 2-ingredients! Try serving with apple chips!
• Piña Colada Peanut Butter: Three ingredient oil-free and refined sugar free piña colada peanut butter made with roasted peanuts, freeze-dried pineapple, and shredded coconut. 
• 2-Ingredient Roasted Peanut-Cashew Butter: Easy 2-ingredient nut butter with roasted peanuts and cashews without added oils or sugars. Serve with 1-ingredient banana chips for a fun nutritious snack.
• Raw Walnut Cashew Butter: 2-ingredient homemade raw walnut cashew butter made super creamy in under 10 minutes  Serve it with Bare Snacks Banana Chips for an easy snack!

Click here for more homemade nut butter!

Homemade Jam and Fruit Butters

I prefer making my own homemade jams because I can control the sugar content and ingredients! 

• Blueberry Butter (No-Sugar-Added): Easy blueberry butter made with just two ingredients in 30 minutes. Use in place of jam or jelly for a fun no-sugar-added spread.
• Sweet & Spicy Tomato Jam: Easy unique jam made with cherry tomatoes and simple ingredients that achieve the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Perfect as the topping for any meal! 
• Raspberry Chia Seed Jam: Easy sugar-free jam sweetened with orange and lemon and thickened with chia seeds. A refrigerator staple to spread on all of the things!
• Low Sugar Pumpkin Apple Butter: Easy 5-ingredient pumpkin apple butter lightly sweetened with maple syrup and apple juice. Perfect to add fall flair to any breakfast, dessert, or snack.

Click here for more refined-sugar-free jams!

Homemade Granola

Instead of buying multiple bags of pre-packaged granola, try making your own for the week! 

• Triple Berry Granola (Oil-Free!): Baked berry granola with three kinds of sweet berries and SunButter for an oil-free option. Perfect to make ahead for breakfast and snacking!
• Chocolate Almond Butter Granola: Chocolate almond butter granola with oats, nuts, and cacao. Sweetened with maple syrup and chocolate chunks. Chunky, chocolate-y, and perfect for topping!
• Strawberry Banana Almond Butter Granola: Strawberry banana granola made oil-free with creamy almond butter and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Gluten-free with a grain-free option!
• Oil-Free Chunky Tahini Granola: Easy oil-free chunky granola with tahini and an optional chocolate twist. Perfect for breakfast, snack, dessert, and eating by the handful.
• Apple Cranberry Pecan Granola: Apple cranberry pecan granola with oats and pecans lightly sweetened with maple syrup and applesauce. Toss in baked apple chips for extra crunch!

Click here for more homemade granola!

Homemade Dog Treats

Try making homemade dog treats as opposed to the store bought stuff. Your four legged friend will love you and so will the planet! 

• 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats: 3-ingredient homemade dog treats made with old-fashioned rolled oats, natural peanut butter, and banana. Perfect for your pups and human-friendly, too!
• Vegan Sweet Potato Dog Chews: Treat your pup to 1-ingredient sweet potato treats made with sliced sweet potato slow baked at low heat for a delicious homemade dog treat.

Click here for more homemade dog treats!

Homemade Matcha

Make the matcha of your dreams from the comfort of your own home without the single use plastic cup. 

• Iced Almond Matcha Latte: Easy Iced Almond Matcha Latte with a coconut twist! Lightly sweetened with maple syrup and super creamy with the addition of coconut butter.
• Cinnamon Almond Matcha Latte: Energize with this vegan matcha latte with almond milk and cinnamon. Super creamy and sugar free. All you need is 4 ingredients and 5 minutes!

Click here for more cozy beverages!

Energy Bars & Bites

Instead of pre-packaged bars and bites, try making these to energize for the week ahead. 

• Grain-Free Apricot Almond Energy Bars: 5-ingredient no-bake apricot almond bars that are grain-free, gluten-free, vegan, and naturally sweetened with dried apricots. Perfect for meal prep snacks!
• 4-Ingredient Coconut Almond Rolled Dates: Skip the store bought coconut rolled dates and make your own in under 10 minutes. A quick and clean dessert or snack made with only 4 ingredients.
• Raw Almond Butter Superfood Bars: Easy raw bars packed with superfoods, antioxidants, and protein. Grab these gluten-free, grain-free, vegan bas as a nutritious snack or healthy dessert.
• No-Bake Tropical Protein Bars: No-bake bars with tropical fruit, cashews, coconut, and sunflower seed butter. Naturally sweetened with orange juice and dried fruit with no added sugar.

Click here for more homemade energy bars & bites!

Homemade Dips

Save a plastic container and experiment with new flavor combinations in these dips that you can’t buy at the store! 

• Raw Carrots Hummus: Easy bright carrot hummus made oil-free and super creamy with tahini, lemon, and and seasonings. Perfect to make in advance to upgrade your snacking!
• Spicy Black Bean Hummus: Elevate your snacking with this spicy black bean hummus paired with sweet baked banana chips! Perfect for a healthy plant-based snack. 
• Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Hummus: Creamy oil-free hummus with organic turkish tomato halves, chickpeas, tahini, and seasonings. Perfect for dipping veggies, crackers, and spoons! 
• Sunny SunButter Hummus: Easy savory hummus made super creamy with the addition of sunflower seed butter in place of tahini. Serve with fresh cut veggies, crackers, or fruit.

Click here for more homemade dips!

Homemade Candies

Ditch the plastic packaging and make your own candy! Bonus: These taste better and are better for you!

• Vegan Peanut Butter M&Ms: Vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free balls made with a sweet refined-sugar-free peanut butter center. Make them for a healthier homemade candy!    
• Vegan Ferrero Rocher Truffles: Vegan ferrero rocher truffle copycat candies made with dark chocolate, coconut milk, and hazelnuts lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup.
• Vegan Peanut Butter Butterfingers: Easy vegan butterfinger bars made with peanut butter and cereal sweetened with date paste and coconut sugar with a dark chocolate coating. 
• Easy Almond Butter Cups: Easy dark chocolate cups stuffed with creamy almond butter and sprinkled with sea salt. The perfect vegan, paleo, and refined-sugar-free treat! 
• Vegan Salted Snickers Bars: Satisfy your candy bar cravings with vegan snickers bars made with an almond flour and date nougat, date caramel, peanuts, and salted dark chocolate.

Click here for more homemade candies!