About

Welcome to Don’t Mess with Mama! I’m Tracey Black, a writer, recipe developer, and creator of Don’t Mess with Mama. I have a background in health care, research, and publishing, and have been featured in The Huffington Post, Redbook Magazine, Yahoo, Women’s Day, CNET, and Today.

Here, you’ll find healthy recipes that are quick and easy to make, as well as cooking tutorials, and tips to live a more natural lifestyle.

My Background

I’m a writer and researcher at heart. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and have worked professionally in health care, nutrition, wellness, and publishing.

Prior to starting this blog, I was a digital marketing manager for 10+ years who developed content for hospitals, physicians, and health care companies. I’ve researched and written about cutting-edge medical devices, hospital services, women’s health care, and so much more.

Back in 2010, my family was dealing with numerous health problems, including digestive and autoimmune issues. After much research and consulting with physicians, we found that several family members in my family had non-celiac gluten sensitivity. We were advised to eliminate gluten from our diet, and our gluten-free journey began. Read more about my family’s journey.

While going gluten free, I started reading the labels on all of our food. I was shocked by the long list of additives to many of the prepared, frozen, and packaged food we bought. That’s when I sought to make my own version of our favorite foods without the additives, preservatives, and synthetic ingredients.

Once I started reading food labels, I then began to look at our personal care products. That’s when I found that the lotions, soaps, and skincare we used also had a lot of additives and preservatives. I also found that the cleaning products, scented candles and air fresheners we used had harmful ingredients.

That’s when I decided to create my own homemade recipes, DIY skincare, and homemade cleaners. I began sharing those recipes here at DontMesswithMama.com in 2011. I’ve studied herbs and aromatherapy, as well as learned ways to save time in the kitchen with the Instant Pot and air fryer.

Today, my family is still on this natural living journey, and I continue to share easy ways to help you live a more natural lifestyle on a budget. At DontMesswithMama.com, you’ll find healthy, homemade recipes (most are gluten free friendly), cooking tips, and tutorials for DIY cleaning and skincare to help you take the guesswork out of doing it on your own.

What You’ll Find Here

• Tested recipes – All food and DIY recipes have been developed and tested by me in my home kitchen. I test numerous variations of recipes to give you the best ones.
• Cleaner ingredients – All recipes feature cleaner ingredients that you can feel good about with ideas for substitutions to make it your own. You won’t find synthetic additives, preservatives, or dyes in my recipes.
• Perfect for beginners – You don’t need to be a trained chef or skincare chemist to make my recipes. They’re easy to make with step-by-step directions and simple ingredients.
• Research & resources – I’ve done the research so you can feel good about using my DIY recipes and home remedies. You’ll find links to clinical studies and trusted third-party sources for more information.

Books

• Author, Natural Beauty Made Simple
• Author, Instant Pot Recipes Made Simple
• Author, Gluten-Free, Real Food Recipes Kids Love

Contributing Writer

I was a contributing writer for Redbook Magazine. Below is a sample of my work. See the full list here.

• Beyond the Bored Game: 5 New Family Fun Ideas, Redbook Magazine
• Little Back-to-School Routines That Make a Big Difference, Redbook Magazine
• Are We Taking the Fun Out of Being a Kid?, edbook Magazine
• The Parental Juggle, Redbook Magazine
• The Anti-Hoarders Guide to Decluttering, Redbook Magazine
• Learning to Love the Christmas Cookie Mess, Redbook Magazine
• The Eye of the Tiger {Balm}, Redbook Magazine

Articles + Features

• Slow Cooker Recipes: 20 Warming Soups for a Frosty Day, The Huffington Post
• No Judgement Day Asks Us to Leave Moms Alone, Huffington Post Live
• You Don’t Need to Be a Perfect Mom, Huffington Post Live
• Here’s What the Buttons on the Instant Pot Actually Mean, Yahoo
• Surviving Holiday Travel with Kids, Yahoo
• Getting Through the New Mom Identify Crisis, Today.com
• 6 Unexpected Things You Can Make in Your Instant Pot, CNET
• How to Preserve Your Carved and Uncarved Pumpkins This Halloween, Woman’s Day
• Transform Your Summer Experience for the Better with These 9 Lifestyle Essentials, Los Angeles Magazine
• Instant Pot Recipes That Will Save You Money, Wisebread
• 50+ Gluten-Free Breakfast Ideas (Including Pancakes) That You Can Try at Home, LifeHack
• 12 Soy Sauce Substitutes, Healthline
• 8 DIY Beauté Pour Hommes, Marie Claire France
• 12 San Diego Mom Blogs You Should Be Reading, Red Tricycle
• Is That a Toxic Chemical in My Deodorant, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families
• 5 Tips for a Waste-Free Lunch, Mom It Forward
• 10 Ingenious Ways to Reuse K-Cups, Mental Floss