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    - The mission of the Jewish Food Media Conference is to bring together our community of Jewish food professionals in a positive atmosphere that encourages personal and business growth.
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    - KAVANA is a 1 day personal growth conference for Jewish women of all religious levels to become inspired, find community, live with purpose, and learn how to dream.
- - - Jewish Food Media
      The mission of the Jewish Food Media Conference is to bring together our community of Jewish food professionals in a positive atmosphere that encourages personal and business growth.
  - - Kavana
      KAVANA is a 1 day personal growth conference for Jewish women of all religious levels to become inspired, find community, live with purpose, and learn how to dream.

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therealmelindastrauss

FINALLY posted my favorite sangria today on the bl

FINALLY posted my favorite sangria today on the blog!!!! I kept pushing off this post bc taking pictures of glasses is really really hard (hello reflections) 😂 But I finally bit the bullet and I am in LOVE with this picture!!!
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Okay, I’ll keep it simple...go to melindastrauss.com/recipes for the recipe. You can’t miss it!
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Who’s making sangria for Shavuot????
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#sangria #summersangria #drinkitup #shavuot #drinkathome #letsdrink #redsangria #thefeedfeed #f52grams #bonappetit #winetime #quarantini #easyrecipes #foodblogfeed #thefeedfeedcocktails @thefeedfeed.cocktails

🥐NEW RECIPE ALERT🥐 . I have a tendency to ov

🥐NEW RECIPE ALERT🥐
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I have a tendency to overcomplicate recipes because it makes me happy to patchke, but this new recipe is as simple as it gets! I actually reached out to @maafeparispastries to partner with them because their new dairy-free croissant dough is SO LEGIT and I love the idea that I can stuff them with whatever I want. I'm talking shredded brisket, sloppy joe meat, shredded BBQ chicken, cheese and tomato sauce (hello pizza croissant), pesto and parmesan, chocolate ganache...the list goes on and on! Check out @cookingwithtantrums for tons of filling ideas too! And today I made them into tuna melts because that is my son's lunch of choice. .
TUNA MELT CROISSANTS
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1 package defrosted @maafeparispastries French Croissant (5 in the package)
6 ounce can tuna mixed with 1-2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheese (any flavor you want)
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Preheat oven to 350° f. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unroll the croissants and lay out on the parchment.
Cover the wider end of the croissant dough with the tuna then top with the shredded cheese.
Starting at the wider end, roll up the croissants, making sure to roll as tightly as possible and then line up all of the filled croissants on the baking sheet.
At this point, you can top the croissants with more cheese. This is optional but hello, it's cheese!
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the croissants are puffed up and a nice golden color.
Allow to cool slightly before eating because these are going to be super hot inside!
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What will you fill your croissants with? .
#sponsored #tunamelt #croissant #newrecipe #frenchpastry #cheesy #thefeedfeed #simplerecipe #quickandeasyfood #lunchideas #shavuot

If you haven’t made a dairy pound cake lately, n

If you haven’t made a dairy pound cake lately, now is the time!!! Instead of traditional sour cream, this recipe (originally made for my blog in 2015) is made with ricotta and trust me, you want to make this 😘
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LEMON AND BLACKBERRY RICOTTA POUND CAKE
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Ricotta Pound Cake:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup ricotta
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup blackberries, smashed (you can also use your favorite jam)
Lemon Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp water
1-2 tsp lemon juice
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Preheat the oven to 350° F. and spray an 8-9 inch bundt pan with cooking spray.
In a stand mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract and blend until just combined.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time until they are all blended into the batter.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt then add to the batter and blend on medium-low until a thick batter has formed.
Pour half of the batter into the bundt pan, spread the smashed blackberries or jam around the entire pan then top with the remaining batter.
Tap the bundt pan on a counter top a few times to remove any air bubbles then bake for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Set the cake aside to cool completely then carefully remove it from the bundt pan.
When the cake is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, water, and lemon juice. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more water. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake then set it aside for 5 minutes to harden. Enjoy!
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#poundcake #shavuot #ricottacake #imsomartha #thefeedfeedbaking #thebakefeed #thekitchn #cakesofinstagram #blackberries #fruitcake #recipeoftheday #recipeshare

I AM OBSESSED!!! . I used @busyinbrooklyn’s one

I AM OBSESSED!!!
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I used @busyinbrooklyn’s one bowl honey challah this wknd for my challah AND babka and it is hands down my favorite challah recipe! I love that you don’t need a mixer or any extra equipment to make the dough and it’s heavenly! You’re welcome 😘
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The recipe is in her first cookbook, Millennial Kosher, and you can also find it on her blog busyinbrooklyn.com ✌🏻
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Where is your favorite challah recipe from?
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#challah #babka #homebaking #onebowlbaking #yeastdough #imsomartha #millennialkosher #thebakefeed #thefeedfeedbaking #jewfood #babkamania

Another day, another delicious cheesecake. Sorry,

Another day, another delicious cheesecake. Sorry, @fleishigsmag but this one is actually a healthy cheesecake 😉
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NO-BAKE PEACHES AND CREAM FROZEN YOGURT CHEESECAKE
2 cups cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
16 ounce bag frozen peaches, defrosted
Vanilla Wafer Crust:
2 cups vanilla cookies (such as Nilla Wafers)
2 tbsp melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
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Line a springform pan (or a round pie dish) with plastic wrap.
In a food processor, combine the vanilla cookies, melted butter and salt and blend into a fine crumb the texture of sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan and place in the freezer until the batter is ready.
Using the same food processor, puree half of the peaches until smooth. Save the other half for garnish.
For the cheesecake batter, add the cream cheese and Greek yogurt to the bowl of a stand mixer and cream together until smooth. You can also use a hand mixer. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and blend until smooth and fluffy. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared cookie crust.
Drizzle the pureed peaches on top of the cheesecake batter and swirl it around using a toothpick or sharp knife. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
To serve, remove the cheesecake from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving. Remove from the springform pan and peel off the plastic wrap. Top with remaining peaches to garnish.
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#cheesecake #peachesandcream #frozenyogurt #foodblogfeed #thebakefeed #thefeedfeed #buzzfeedfood #healthyrecipes #imsomartha #healthydesserts #greekyogurt

No room for chit chat bc I want to share my Cold B

No room for chit chat bc I want to share my Cold Brew Cheesecake recipe right here on Instagram 👇🏻 The original recipe is on melindastrauss.com/recipes 😘
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COLD BREW CHEESECAKE
Cookie Crust:
4 cups crunchy cookies or biscuits
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Cold Brew Cheesecake:
16 ounces packaged cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz light sour cream
2 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup cold brew coffee concentrate
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup @misceoliqueurs
Coffee Liqueur Ganache:
1 cup chopped chocolate/chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp Misceo Coffee Liqueur
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Finely crush the cookies and combine with the melted butter. Press into a 9-inch springform pan.
Preheat the oven to 350°f.
Using a stand mixer or beaters, whip the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs until smooth. Add the maple syrup, cold brew concentrate, and salt. Mix until the batter is fully combined.
Pour almost all of the batter into the springform pan, leaving 1/4 cup of batter in the bowl. Add the coffee liqueur to the remaining batter. Drizzle this mixture over the top of the cheesecake and swirl with a toothpick.
Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the center is almost set. Your choice if you want to bake with a water bath or not (google for water bath info). Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to slowly cool down in the oven for 1 hour. This will help you avoid cracks in the cake (which we will be covering up with ganache).
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, carefully run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the edges, and allow the cheesecake to cool for at least 1 hour, then cover and transfer to the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Coffee Liqueur Ganache:
When the cheesecake has completely cooled, melt the chocolate and heavy cream over a double boiler or in a microwave for 1 minute. Add the butter and coffee liqueur and stir until melted. Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake and allow it to set for 30 minutes in the fridge.
Your cheesecake is now ready to serve! Release the springform pan before slicing.
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What cheesecake are you making for Shavuot?
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#cheesecake #jewfood #coldbrew #foodblogfeed #thefeedfeedbaking #buzzfeedfood

This is absolutely one of my favorite pics from la

This is absolutely one of my favorite pics from last summer with @estybphotography and I am seriously craving another lifestyle shoot!
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Why am I sharing this? Because this picture is me with major confidence! This picture is me feeling good! This picture is me at a weight that makes me super happy! I’m on my journey now to get back to that place and I will not apologize or hold back.
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Do I love myself now? Yes! Do I feel happy in my skin? I’m getting there. And no matter what anyone else tells me about how I “should” feel, I’m the one who gets to decide. I want to lose weight and that’s okay. I want to restrict what I eat and that’s okay. I want to share my Optavia plan here on Instagram and that’s okay. These choices that I make are for ME. These choices are not so you should change how you feel about your own body and your own diet. If I inspire you to commit to your own journey, that’s awesome! You do what makes you happy and what feels right, just as I’m doing for me.
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Sometimes I feel like a broken record saying this but it’s okay for us to all make different choices and still respect each other. It’s okay for me to want to lose weight and for you to love your body at exactly the weight you are now. That doesn’t make either of us wrong. It means we are on different paths. And right now, my path has me 7 pounds down, working on my late night snacking and TV habit, and feeling like I am going in the right direction!
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What path are you on right now?
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#loveyourself #youdoyou #dowhatmakesyouhappy #respecteachother #weightlossjourney #optaviacoach #onehealthyhabitatatime #weightloss #inspiringothers #womensupportingwomen #myjourneytohealth #healthcoach #healthyliving

A new KAVANA Conference is coming! I am putting it

A new KAVANA Conference is coming! I am putting it out there because I know when I say something outloud, it becomes REAL!
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I have been so inspired by the @letsrise.co, @optavia, and @thejwe virtual conferences I recently attended and I realized a few things:
1. I can do this! I can put on a virtual conference!
2. By making this conference virtual, I can have speakers from all over the world in one day
3. Doing this conference online means I can charge less, which means more of you can attend and that makes me soooo happy!
4.. I started the @kavanaconference to inspire other women to dream and I've forgotten all about my own dreams. I allowed quarantine to be an excuse for why I didn't need to put in the time and work to make this event happen. And when I was watching all of those other conferences on my computer, I was reminded of WHY I started my own conference. I CAN do this and I WILL do this!
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I don't have a date set yet (I'm thinking some time in June), I don't have speakers yet (I have a running list and you are all welcome to message me with suggestions), I basically don't have anything done yet 😂 But I do have a dream and I will make it real. Instead of traveling the world right now to run KAVANA, I will bring the world to all of us!
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So who wants to attend the virtual KAVANA Conference?
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#kavanaconference #livewithkavana #livewithpurpose #leadership #womenleaders #personalgrowth #weneedmoreleaders #daretodream #dreambig #personalcare #selfcare #quarantinelife #staysafe #virtualconference #virtuallearning #purposedrivenlife #liveyourbestlife #letsdothis #womensupportingwomen #thrive

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