Some mornings, presence looks like meditation, yoga, or a long walk by the water. Other mornings, it looks like standing in your kitchen in mismatched pajamas, hair in yesterday’s messy bun, staring at a mozzarella log and thinking well, I guess brunch is about to get interesting.

It wasn’t planned, and maybe that’s the beauty of it. A half-forgotten slice of sourdough. A handful of pepperoni, because apparently my fridge thinks it’s still game night. Three slices of fresh mozzarella; plus a little extra, because self-care sometimes comes in the form of cheese. I didn’t set out to make a moment, but that’s how presence works. You open the fridge, see what’s in front of you, and decide that instead of rushing through another meal, you’ll stand still long enough to make something you’ll actually taste.

The tomatoes were a last-minute impulse. A handful of grape jewels, tossed into the skillet beside the sandwich, blistering and softening into sweet little bursts of brightness. By the time the bread turned golden and the mozzarella turned molten, I realized this wasn’t just breakfast. It was a reminder: you can honor your body in big ways with movement, rest, boundaries and in small ways, like making yourself a sandwich that’s far too good to eat over the sink.

Pepperoni Mozzarella Sourdough Melt

What You Will Need:

• 1 slice sourdough bread
• 6 slices pepperoni
• 3 slices fresh mozzarella cheese (plus extra if desired)
• 1 tsp butter (for spreading)
• 1 tsp olive oil (for tomatoes)
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 handful grape tomatoes

What You Will Need To Do:

1. Pulse 3 slices mozzarella in a food processor until loosely shredded. Rustic texture is perfect.
2. Lightly butter one side of the sourdough. On the unbuttered side, layer shredded mozzarella, whole mozzarella slices, and 6 slices pepperoni.
3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Place the sandwich butter-side down. Cook 3–4 minutes until golden and the cheese begins to melt. Flip if needed for even heating.
4. While the sandwich cooks, toss a handful of grape tomatoes into the skillet with 1 tsp olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Cook 3–5 minutes until blistered and softened.
5. Serve the sandwich with tomatoes on the side. Sprinkle flaky salt on top if you’re feeling fancy.

We often think honoring our bodies means big, sweeping gestures: joining a gym, starting a cleanse, signing up for a 5k. But the practice of presence is so much smaller and so much closer than we think. It’s in pausing before inhaling lunch at your desk. It’s in noticing the cheese melting, the tomatoes sizzling, the way your shoulders relax when you smell something good on the stove. You don’t have to overhaul your life to honor your body. You just have to show up for it, one mindful choice at a time. Sometimes that choice is kale. And sometimes… it’s pepperoni.

So here’s my question for you: In what small ways can you honor your body today—not in theory, not in the future, but in the next hour? And if the answer involves mozzarella, I’ll meet you in the kitchen.

Gracefully yours,

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Reference
Niequist, S. (2024). Celebrate Every Day. Zondervan.