Dr. Tracy's Blog

Navigating the holiday season on an allergy friendly diet can be tricky but if you plan ahead, there are many treats available for you to enjoy:  Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies by Betty Crocker Allergy Friendly Sugar and Spice Cookies  by Cybele Pascal Egg and Dairy Free Raspberry Truffle Brownies by Isa Chandra Moskowitz Vegan Gluten Free Sugar Cookies  by Dana Schultz Gluten Free Snickerdoodles by Betty Crocker Egg and Dairy Free Oatmeal and Peanut Butter Cookies by Isa Chandra Moskowitz Salted Almond Butter Fudge  by Angela Liddon Honey Almond Cake  by Cookie + Kate Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free Double Chocolate Cookies  by Renee Byrd Cashew Maca Hot Chocolate  by Renee Byrd HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Apple Cranberry Salad Dressing 1 cup cranberries ½ cup apple cider Juice of ½ lemon 1 tsp – 1 tablespoon honey (to taste) ½ tsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp black pepper ½ cup sunflower oil/grapeseed oil/olive oil Chop the cranberries in a food processor or blender. Add the cider and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Then add all other ingredients except the oil and process to combine. While the food processor (or blender) is running, slowly add the oil until well combined.

Cookie Dough Bites – makes 12 small bites 1 ½ cups rolled oats 2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened or melted 2 tablespoons unsweetened cashew butter ¼ cup maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ cup almond flour or almond meal ¼ tsp sea salt ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp cinnamon         2 tablespoons chopped pecans 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, diced Process the oats in a food processor until they form a flour. In a separate bowl, combine coconut oil, cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Then add the oat flour and almond meal, combine well. Then add cranberries and nuts. Roll about 1-2 tablespoons of dough in your hands and press into a ball. Place bites on a parchment lined plate and freeze for 10 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Well, okay maybe cider doughnuts but it's not that kind of blog! This super-quick Pumpkin Sage Soup is a perfect way to embrace the change of seasons and promote healthy hormone balance. Foods high in carotenoids, the orange and yellow pigments found in pumpkin, winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and yams, peaches and mangoes promote proper balance of estrogen in the liver and help your body make progesterone if needed. Pumpkin Sage Soup 1 teaspoon coconut oil 1/4 cup minced shallots 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves 29 ounce can of pumpkin 4 ounce can of coconut milk 1 - 2 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 3/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg In a medium soup pan melt the coconut oil over low medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook until translucent and very soft, 7 - 10 minutes. Then add the sage and heat for another minute. Next add the coconut milk and heat for another five minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix sl...

Do you need a gluten-free, dairy-free and egg -free breakfast or lunch idea? Look no further. Try these low carb, high protein frittatas made with chickpea flour. They are easy to make ahead of time and can last in the refrigerator up to a week. Chickpea Frittata Cups 2 cups chickpea flour 1 teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional) ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 ½ cups water 2 cups chopped vegetables such as zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, onion, bell peppers ½ - 1 cup chopped greens such as spinach or kale Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the chickpea flour, turmeric, garlic powder, sea salt, nutritional yeast and black pepper in a large bowl. Add water and whisk to eliminate any lumps. Fold in the chopped vegetables and greens. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper liners. Ladle about ½ cup of the mixture into each muffin cup. Makes between 12 and 16 muffin cup sized frittatas. Bake...

Enjoy the summer's bounty with this easy dairy-free pesto. Use as a spread on sandwiches or as a sauce for pasta. Dairy Free Pesto ¼ cup pistachios or pine nuts two cloves of garlic one large bunch of basil, about 3 cups of leaves and small stems - if you do not have enough basil you can combine the basil you have with baby spinach leaves or parsley 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast ¼ teaspoon sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, flax oil or melted coconut oil In a food processor pulse the garlic and nuts until chopped. Add the basil one cup at a time and pulse until well combined. Then add the nutritional yeast, sea salt and black pepper, pulsing the food processor to combine. With the food processor running slowly add the oil. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor periodically, process until well combined. One of my favorite ways to enjoy pesto in the summer is to mix sauteed kale, red onion, summer squash ...

Are you sick of hummus? I don't know about you, but we are always on the go during the summer months traveling to the beach or visiting relatives. And for a vegan, that means always bringing plenty of snacks such as hummus and carrots. So by the time August rolls around I'm pretty bored with hummus and go looking for some other high-protein snacks. So of you too are bored with hummus, try this Lentil Walnut Dip inspired by the New York City plant-based restaurant, Angelica Kitchen , which I had the pleasure of visiting in 2007. Lentil Walnut Dip 1 cup walnuts 1 ½ cups cooked black beluga lentils* 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon low sodium tamari or coconut aminos 1 teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon onion powder sea salt and pepper to taste In a skillet toast the walnuts over medium heat until fragrant, a few minutes. Let the walnuts cool and then place them in a food processor and process until they are finely ground. Add all the remaining ingredients a...