Before & After: Our Mid-Century Kitchen Glow-Up ☕️
plus, the easiest sheet-pan dinner recipe ever ✌️ (i've already made it twice this week...)
Hello, hello, my friends—
Happy Wednesday! Before we dive in, I just want to express a sincere thank you for all of the positive energy that you’ve shared with my recent posts.
In case you missed them, here are a few highlights—
Your excitement and engagement keeps me inspired, and one thing is clear—you love posts about practical wellness, home, food, and all the little things that make life feel cozy and approachable.
So, in that spirit— today, I’m sharing:
1) a ridiculously easy sheet pan gnocchi recipe (for all subscribers), and
2) a before-and-after of our mid-century kitchen (for my paid community)
🍅 Sheet-Pan, Protein-Packed Gnocchi:
You know that feeling when you discover a new easy dinner “formula” and wonder how you ever lived without it?
That’s me with sheet-pan gnocchi lately.
It’s a balanced, nourishing meal with carbs, veggies, and protein—check, check, and check! Plus, it’s super adaptable (use whatever veggies or protein you have on hand) and doesn’t leave you drowning in dishes. Win-win-win.
Ingredients
2 cups cauliflower, chopped in relatively small pieces
2-3 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small white or yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 package of chicken sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1 package gnocchi (I use this GF option!)
2-3 tbsp olive oil or organic butter
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced finely (or 1-2 tsp garlic powder— I ain’t judgin’)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2ish cup pre-made pesto (either the green, basil-filled option or the red, sundried-tomato option! Both work great.)
1/4 cup cheese of choice (grated parmesan, crumbled goat cheese, or feta would work great!)
Instructions
1️⃣ Give the veggies & gnocchi a headstart! Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the gnocchi, chopped cauliflower, and chopped onion with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil or melted butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. Coat a baking sheet with oil (or use parchment paper), then spread them all out evenly on the sheet. Roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
2️⃣ Prepare the rest: While the veggies are roastin’, toss the sliced chicken sausage and whole cherry tomatoes (no need to cut!) in the remaining olive oil or butter, plus some salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy.
3️⃣ Bring it all together: After the heavier veggies & gnocchi get a head start for that 5-7 minutes, grab the pan out of the oven and add the sausage and tomatoes to the sheet pan. Throw it back in the oven & roast for another 17–20 minutes. Stir halfway through so it all gets nice ‘n’ golden.
4️⃣ Pesto Party: When everything’s roasted and thoroughly cooked, pull the pan out and drizzle on the pesto (you can “dilute” it in olive oil if you want a thinner sauce). Toss gently until there is a fine layer of pesto coating mostly everything.
5️⃣ Serve & Enjoy!: Plate it up, sprinkle some cheese or fresh basil if you’re feeling fancy, and dig in!
After that little kitchen moment, let’s talk about… my actual kitchen
Recently, I shared a mini home tour showcasing a few spaces in our house—today, we’re zooming in on the kitchen with:
✨ Fun before-and-after photos
✨ How we subtly updated the space while staying true to its history
✨ SMALL changes that made a big impact
✨ The one thing I regret changing (still kicking myself…)
✨ Exactly how much $$$ we spent updating this space
✨ And why I believe non-updated kitchens deserve more love and respect.
This post will be such a fun inspiration for anyone wanting to refresh their space *without* gutting the whole thing or spending a ridiculous amount of money— most of the swaps we made were relatively budget-friendly, honored the history of our home, and I can’t wait to show you all the details!
Ready? Let’s get started!
It feels like every TikTok these days is about updating kitchens to keep up with the latest trends.
But honestly? I love how unapologetically outdated ours is.
It may be a hot take, but I’m a big believer that the most “timeless” thing you can do is embrace the age and character of a space.
And let me tell you— there’s a lot to embrace in this kichen.
This room is, um, unique.
An early 1960s kitchen— filled with original cabinets, flooring, countertops and more.
When we first walked through the house, opinions were split right down the middle. Half the people we showed thought the potential was AMAZING and the other half…? Thought it was a total gut job.
Let’s just say, it’s definitely a “love it or hate it” situation.
But, thankfully, Adam and I both love its mid-century, vintage, forest-y vibes. We didn’t want to majorly change it— we just wanted to enhance it.
So, we decided to keep most of the amazing mid-century features intact, but made some small, yet VERY impactful updates—swapping out decor, moving the fridge, and removing that brick wallpaper (yes, really), to bring the room into 2024 while still honoring its roots.
Ya ready?
