Milk Please, Hold the Dairy

Here a fart, there a fart, everywhere a fart, fart. For so many people, having a glass of cow's milk doesn't go well at all. For some, the flatulence and sudden need for TP is consistent, especially those with lactose intolerance, while for others it's a gamble - will the tummy rumble this time?

Being allergic to milk, lactose intolerant, a non dairy consumer, wary of the effects consuming cow's milk has on you or desirous of variety, milk substitutes are great. There are several grain milks and plant milks.

Soy milk, almond milk, rice milk and hemp milk are milk substitutes found in several supermarkets across Kingston, St. Andrew, Portmore and other towns in Jamaica. Prices tend to range from JM$200 to JM$500 for one quart. These non-dairy beverage are often consumed as they are or used, in the place of cow's milk, in food preparation.

Brownies made using Bob's Red Mill Wheat Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free Brownie Mix and Rice Milk

Tying The Knot In Jamaica: Wedding Song

Down the aisle she walked, to the story of their love.  The song retold the story of how love got them here.  Every line, ever word, every verse was true.  A unique song to reflect their beautiful love story.

Born Kerri-Anne Walker, Kei Dubb grew up in the Caribbean. There she learned the French language and went on to live and study in France for a while before returning to the Caribbean.  Her voice range is 3 1/2 octaves and her singing style is a unique fusion of jazz, soul and reggae. There are singers and then there is Kei Dubb. Kei Dubb, known not only for her beautiful voice, Kei is a vibrant yet relaxed personality - a pint-sized vocal powerhouse who has wowed audiences both in the old world and the new. Her abilities are quite impressive as she is not simply a singer but a songwriter as well. Her bilingual ability lends itself wonderfully to her writing and performances which go back and forth between English and French.  As a talented songwriter, Kei has an ability to speak directly to couples and write love songs that tell their special story as lovers. Working with Kei Dubb on your own love story will make walking down the aisle, the entrance to the reception and that first dance as a married couple much more personal, intimate and special.

Gluten Free and Wheat Free Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day falls on the 2nd Friday in February this year. Love is the theme; chocolate and wine are Queen and King. While most Valentine's Day advertisements target couples and promote the romantic side of love, token and gifts are often given to parents, offspring, relatives, friends, classmates, customers, business partners and even strangers.

From pebbles collected outside to diamond encrusted purses worth millions, there is a Valentine's Day gift for every budget. While giving physical gifts is one manifestation of expressing love, there are other love languages. Love may be expressed by spending quality time, acts of service and so on.  You often find that Valentine's Day gifts  may be a combination of different love languages. Though there's a very wide variety of gifts, it is quite common to find persons completely clueless about what to give, especially on a limited budget or with short notice. 

If your valentine has only recently become a wheat free or gluten free eater and is now down about their limited food choices, giving the gift of delicious food is a very sweet and thoughtful gesture.

There is a variety of food you may give. 

Essence of Hazel

Honey On My Skin

Food good for the body.

Food good for the skin.

Eat up, dab on.

Love the skin you are in.

Honey, when topically applied, most benefits our skin when it is in its raw, organic, unheated state and, as such, the benefits listed below are related to raw, organic, unheated honey.

Beneficial Properties of Honey

• anti-irritant; suitable for sensitive skin
• humectant (absorbs and retain moisture) which is good for maintaining skin's softness, suppleness and elasticity; great for dry skin as retains moisture without drying out
• antibacterial and antimicrobial properties draw out impurities from the skin, reduces redness, calms inflammation and speeds up healing of wounds and infections, including acne.

DIY Honey Skin Care

Good for: persons seeking a more directly natural skin care regimen, especially persons with sensitive skin or contact allergy to soy or wheat (often commonly used but not listed due to non-existent allergen labeling regulation for skin care items).

Bad for: persons with contact allergy to honey.

*It is easier to remove honey masks with warm water

Avocado and Honey Face Mask for soft, glowing skin

• Blend a slice of avocado and 1 tablespoon of honey till texture is creamy, put in fridge for 10 minutes, apply to clean face, leave for an hour, then wash face clean.