Easy Valentine's Day treats. 💞

We've got plenty of ways for you to share the love this week. [View this email in your browser]( Sweets for the sweet. We’re making it easy to spread the love this week. Bake a batch of a Valentine’s Day treats, support creative [Black-owned businesses]( and explore how the Zodiac signs show their affection in unique ways. But first, let’s dive into a brain game! 🧠Instead of giving a bouquet of roses, consider gifting this common fruit, which is actually part of the Rose family! [Click for the Answer]( FOOD What to Eat Sharing is caring. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about romance. Whip up one of these desserts for your bestie, your family, or for the office. You might just make someone’s day. 💝 Homemade Chocolate Truffles Skip the store-bought candy in favor of rum-infused dark chocolate truffles. [Make ‘Em]( Chocolate-Covered Strawberry HeartsYou only need five ingredients to make this classic Valentine’s Day treat. [Make ‘Em]( Your FREE guide to getting dinner on the table. With 100 mouth-watering and accessible recipes, Make This Tonight is the cookbook you’ll actually use. Our best-selling cookbook retails for $27, but you can get one for FREE when you become a Tastemade+ member! Subscribe Now Heart Reveal Cookies Bare your heart to your Valentine (literally!) with these easy shortbread cookies. [Make ‘Em]( Heart-Shaped ChurrosSpice up Valentine’s Day with hot cinammon-sugar churros. [Make ‘Em]( Recipe of the Week A garden oasis in a bottle. Fruity-florals, but make it grown-up. Spritz yourself with the alluring aroma of [Sophisticated Fruit fragrances]( — soft, sweet, and sensual, just like a sip of this [Lychee Rose Elixir](. Shop Sephora's New & Now Fragrance Edit and discover your next signature scent. [Find Your Fragrance]( TIPS What to Do Support Black-owned businesses online. February is Black History Month, and Tastemade is committed to [supporting and amplifying Black voices]( not only this month, but year-round. In that spirit, we’re sharing a handful of our favorite Black-owned businesses that you can support online. This is also a great month to [explore your own neighborhood]( and shop local! [The Jungalow]( What started as a design blog in founder Justina Blakeney’s tiny, plant-filled living room has grown into a colorful lifestyle brand and a go-to source for contemporary design goods. [Phlemuns]( This unisex, slow-fashion brand was started in 2013 by James Flemons, who sought to bridge the gap between elevated fashion and everyday communities. [Thirteen Lune]( Celebrating beauty and community, Thirteen Lune is an e-commerce site dedicated to sharing beauty brands created by Black and Brown founders. [Estelle Colored Glass]( Inspired by her grandmother’s love of antiquing, founder Stephanie Summerson Hall has created a brand of hand-blown and specialty colored glass pieces. [Red Bay Coffee Roasters]( Red Bay Coffee Roasters is not only committed to high quality, sustainable coffee production, but they also use coffee as a vehicle for diversity, social and economic restoration, environmental sustainability, and more. JUST FOR FUN Written in the Stars How the zodiac signs express their love. ✨ Not sure what your Valentine is trying to tell you? We’ve got your back with this handy guide. CREATOR’S CORNER Who to Follow Meet Gia Peppers. Below, we chat with award-winning journalist, on-air talent, and podcaster [Gia Peppers](. For the past decade, she's worked with media brands to tell stories that push the culture forward and inspire us to be the best versions of ourselves. *This interview has been edited for brevity. TASTEMADE: At Tastemade, we define “Small Acts” as a way of spreading support, love, and recognition. What are some ways you like to show your support and give back to the community? GIA PEPPERS: I am a huge advocate of mentorship and paying it forward. Because I had amazing mentors, I pay it forward by mentoring young women in the media space who are trying to find their footing. Also, as an alum of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, I funded a scholarship for an out-of-town student to be able to attend the Summer Intensive program, because when I attended it, it changed my life. How do you bring moments of self-love into your daily life? Self-love is actually showing up for and being the highest version of you. It is defining what you need to feel love and give love. It’s showing up for yourself and honoring your feelings and truth. I am working to apply this every day. Sometimes it looks like doing my skincare routine at night, other times it looks like having a hard conversation with people I love. BLK MKT Vintage in Brooklyn Can you share a few of your favorite Black-owned businesses? There are SO many Black-owned businesses that I love, but I'll start with [The Spice Suite]( in Washington D.C., [BLK MKT Vintage]( [Lit Brooklyn]( in Brooklyn, New York, and [Hanifa Official]( a luxury fashion brand that you can find online. Are there any women or creators you’ve worked with recently that you admire? I love so many! But [Luvvie Ajayi Jones]( is the latest guest on my podcast. She is a New York Times best selling author, and is one of the most amazingly talented, brilliant people I know. She shared so much in the episode about owning your journey and saying yes to the things you are afraid to do. [Your podcast]( focuses on growth, healing, and life lessons. Can you elaborate on how these themes align with your overall mission as a creator? I want any content that I am a part of to place a mirror in the face of my viewers that allows them to know they have all they need to create the life that they want. I think so many times, especially in a celebrity-driven world, we think that there’s no possible way we can achieve what the people we look up to have accomplished. However, in actuality, we all are supremely great at something and divinely called to do the assignments God has given us. But, we can’t do that without healing the traumas that may be blocking us in the first place. The [“Healed Girl Era Podcast”]( is a space for everyone from public figures to therapists to talk about the eras of life that defined them. It’s also a space to open up about the lessons they learned along the way in hopes of inspiring others to know they’re not alone in any struggle and can accomplish anything they put their mind to. ENTERTAINMENT On Our Feed Check out the creative process behind our logo honoring Black History Month. [Watch on Instagram]( Tell us how you feel. 💭 How likely are you to recommend this newsletter to a friend? lowest [1]( [2]( [3]( [4]( [5]( [6]( [7]( [8]( [9]( [10]( highest [Facebook icon]( [Instagram icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Pinterest icon]( [TikTok icon]( [YouTube icon]( [Threads icon]( Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up!]( Copyright (C) 2024 Tastemade. All rights reserved. You're receiving this because you opted into our email list. Our mailing address is: Tastemade 3019 Olympic Blvd Stage C Santa Monica, CA 90404 USA [Add us to your address book]( [Update Email Preferences]( or [unsubscribe]( from this list.