Ashley Melillo

Hearty walnut bolognese is layered with creamy cashew mozzarella sauce and gluten-free noodles (or regular if you prefer) and baked until hot and bubbly. While the sauce simmers, preheat the oven, lightly grease a baking dish, and prepare the cashew mozzarella sauce and vegan parmesan (if using). The cashew mozzarella sauce is made by blending together cashews (or hemp seeds for nut-free), water, nutritional yeast flakes, arrowroot starch (for thickening), vinegar, and sea salt until completely smooth. Pour about half of the mozzarella sauce over the lasagna noodles, and top with a bit more bolognese.

To take our work seriously by committing to it bravely and without self-sabotage while also recognizing that its outcomes are none of our business—if this isn’t freeing, I don’t Unlike most vegan bolognese sauce recipes, this one doesn’t rely on faux store-bought meat substitutes. It’s made with a base of raw walnuts (see recipe notes for a nut-free version) and sun-dried tomatoes. I’ve had multiple people reach out who have made the recipe in the book and say how, despite initially wanting to omit things (e.g., fennel seed), they stuck to the recipe as written and were so thankful they did because it made such a difference in flavor.

While this allows me consistent time to work, my work days are cut short by about 2 1/2 hours (depending on how long Sloane naps), which equates to a 10-hour slice out of my weekly work hours. while I’ve been here a bit less than usual due to the shortened work weeks, I’ve been working on TGS’ website a lot. I’d been aiming to make a fluffy vegan Nutella buttercream to send those cinnamon rolls sailing to decadent heights. But after several failed attempts of wacky proportions, I chucked the failed not-buttercream into the freezer, gave up on the idea altogether, and settled on a simple glaze.

This is precisely where that miracle morning routine comes in… I’ve learned how to harness that morning rush of energy so that I’m better able to strike while the iron is hot once I sit down to work. I thought so too, but I’ve never felt happier, more productive, and more well-rooted in my life, and I swear it’s because of this leisurely “miracle morning” routine. In this particular season of my life, I’d love nothing more than to implement the following routine every morning, but life happens and sometimes when life happens routines lose their meaning. Through years of listening, the two things I’ve been reminded of more than anything are: 1) It’s usually the people I’m not familiar with (read: the people I have zero expectations for) that deliver the most profound wisdom—or perhaps it’s just that I can hear it better when I’m not looking for the message I’m expecting.