There is a certain kind of kitchen that does not just feed a family, it holds them. For Hillcrest’s Casey Bumpsteed, that place is painted soft pink, filled with light and always quietly alive with something on the stove. It is where she works, creates, photographs and, most importantly, where life gathers.
Known as The Roasted Rose, Casey is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, food writer, photographer and mother of two. But those titles only tell part of the story.
At her core, she is building something softer, a life shaped around food, rhythm and connection. And for many women moving through midlife, that philosophy feels instantly familiar.
Casey did not arrive at food through trend or training alone. It has always been there, woven into the way she moves through the world.
Cooking, she says, has always been how she expresses care, and not through performance or pressure, just presence.
“It was never one defining moment,” she says. “More a lifelong rhythm of feeding people and noticing how food shifts the energy of a space.”
Over time, that rhythm deepened into something more intentional, especially as she began paying closer attention to women navigating midlife, energy shifts and hormonal change. Not as something to fix, but something to understand.
Midlife, she believes, is often where things get louder before they get clearer. Energy changes, sleep shifts, appetite feels different. Life, in general, feels full in a way that is harder to ignore.
And in the middle of all of that, food can either add to the noise or soften it. For Casey, that is where the work begins. Not in restriction or rules, but in steadiness.
“I am really interested in how food and rhythm can become anchors,” she says, “not stressors.”
Step into her kitchen and that intention is easy to feel. It is not minimalist or styled for perfection. It is layered, lived-in, full of colour and personality. It’s a space where creativity and everyday life exist side by side.
At the centre is a large farm table where her family gathers, phones aside, where conversations are casual but meaningful.
“I prefer eating in the kitchen,” she says. “That is where the connection happens.”
With an 18-year-old daughter, an 11-year-old son and a husband who travels often, those shared meals have become a quiet anchor in a busy household. Nothing elaborate, just consistent, familiar and real.
Her approach to food mirrors that same philosophy. It’s flexible, seasonal and grounded.
There are no strict rules in her kitchen, no rigid definition of healthy eating. Instead, there is a focus on balance, on listening to the body and on keeping things simple enough to actually sustain.
“I would rather embrace moderation than restriction,” she says.
Meals are built around what is available, what is fresh and what feels achievable in the moment. Protein where possible, plenty of fibre, healthy fats that carry energy through the day, and always permission to enjoy food without guilt.
Increasingly, Casey also works within the space of hormone health, something she has studied formally and now weaves into her everyday philosophy. But even here, her approach remains grounded.
This is not clinical wellness. It is lived wellness. Understanding how energy, mood, sleep and appetite shift through different seasons of life, and responding with care rather than control.
“Midlife often comes with a lot of internal noise,” she says. “Food can be a place where things soften again.”
There is something quietly refreshing about the way she speaks about nourishment because it is practical. Cook more simply and sit down to eat. Slow one meal a day and pay attention to how you feel afterwards. Small, repeated things that actually last.
Food, for Casey, is never separate from life. It’s woven into mornings and school runs, into late afternoons and shared dinners, into the quiet rituals that hold a home together.
It is also where joy lives, in baking with her children, in experimenting with new ideas, in recreating old family recipes and in the everyday messiness of feeding people you love.
“It is not one thing,” she says. “It is the rhythm of everyday living.”
There is something quietly grounding about that approach, especially in midlife, where so much begins to shift at once.
To bring that philosophy into the kitchen, Casey shares three seasonal recipes that reflect exactly how she cooks at home, nourishing, unfussy and made to be shared.
You can follow Casey on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok @caseytheroastedrose.
Details: caseytheroastedrose.com
Family-Style Butter Bean Caesar Salad
Serves 4 to 6
Caesar salad has always been one of Casey’s favourites, so this version keeps the comfort while adding extra nourishment. Butter beans bring creaminess, while sardines melt into the dressing for depth, richness and omega-3 goodness.
You’ll need
Parmesan seed crisps: finely grated Parmesan 100g; pumpkin seeds 2 tbsp; sunflower seeds 1 tbsp; sesame seeds 1 tbsp; cracked black pepper.
Sardine Caesar dressing: sardines in olive oil 120g, drained; butter beans ½ cup; plain Greek yoghurt ½ cup; mayonnaise 2 tbsp; finely grated Parmesan 2 tbsp; garlic 1 clove; Dijon mustard 1 tsp; lemon juice 1 lemon; Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp; black pepper; water 2 to 3 tbsp if needed.
Salad: salad leaves 2 cups; broccoli 2 heads or tenderstem broccoli 2 bunches; eggs 4; pickled red onions 1 tbsp; Parmesan 50g shaved; olive oil; sea salt and black pepper; lemon zest 1; dill or parsley.
How to make
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Combine Parmesan, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and black pepper. Spoon into small rounds on a lined tray and bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden. Cool completely until crisp.
Boil eggs for 7 minutes, then cool, peel and halve. Roast broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper at 190°C for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly charred.
Blend all dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy, loosening with water if needed.
Arrange salad leaves on a platter, top with broccoli, eggs, Parmesan shavings and pickled onions. Drizzle with dressing and finish with seed crisps, herbs and lemon zest.
Golden Chicken Thighs with Roasted Chickpeas, Tomatoes & Coriander Yoghurt
Serves 4 to 6
A vibrant tray bake designed for ease and nourishment. Yoghurt-marinated chicken stays tender and fragrant while chickpeas crisp and tomatoes turn jammy in the oven.
You’ll need
Chicken marinade: chicken thighs 8 bone-in skin-on; Greek yoghurt ¾ cup; lemon zest and juice 1 lemon; olive oil 1 tbsp; smoked paprika 2 tsp; cumin 2 tsp; turmeric 1 tsp; garlic powder 1 tsp; fresh ginger 1 tbsp grated; sea salt; black pepper.
Roasting tray: chickpeas or butter beans 2 x 400g tins drained; cherry tomatoes 300g; red onion 1 sliced; olive oil 2 tbsp; smoked paprika 1 tsp; cumin ½ tsp; salt and pepper.
Coriander yoghurt: Greek yoghurt ¾ cup; coriander 1 packed cup; lemon juice ½ lemon; garlic 1 clove; olive oil 2 tbsp; salt; water splash.
To finish: pumpkin seeds ¼ cup toasted; coriander; lemon wedges; feta 50g optional.
How to make
Mix marinade ingredients and coat chicken. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Roast chickpeas for 15 minutes with spices, then add tomatoes, onion and chicken. Roast 35 to 40 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Blend coriander yoghurt until smooth and drizzleable.
Serve everything on a platter, topped with yoghurt, seeds, herbs, lemon and feta.
Rustic Mixed Berry Galette with Almond Crust & Vanilla Ice Cream
Serves 6
A relaxed dessert built for sharing, where seasonal berries bake into a jammy filling inside a crisp almond pastry.
You’ll need
Almond dough: plain flour 250g; cold butter 125g cubed; icing sugar 50g; ground almonds 30g; egg 1; salt pinch; cold water 1 to 2 tbsp if needed.
Berry filling: strawberries 2 cups halved; blueberries 1 cup; raspberries 1 cup; cornflour 2 tbsp; honey or brown sugar 3 tbsp; vanilla extract 1 tsp; lemon zest 1; ground almonds ⅓ cup; chia seeds 2 tbsp.
To finish: egg yolk 1 mixed with water 1 tbsp; demerara sugar 1 to 2 tbsp; vanilla ice cream.
How to make
Rub flour, butter, icing sugar, almonds and salt together until crumbly. Add egg and bring together into dough, chilling for 20 to 30 minutes.
Toss berries with cornflour, honey, vanilla, lemon zest and chia seeds.
Roll dough into a rough circle, place on a tray, sprinkle centre with ground almonds, add filling and fold edges over.
Brush with egg wash, sprinkle sugar and bake at 190°C for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Understanding hormone health in midlife
Hormone health refers to the natural shifts that affect energy, mood, sleep, appetite and digestion during midlife. Rather than something to manage, it is about learning to support the body through change.
Common shifts can include:
• fluctuating energy levels
• changes in sleep quality
• increased stress sensitivity
• shifts in appetite and mood
Simple ways to support balance:
• prioritise protein and healthy fats earlier in the day
• aim for balanced meals to steady energy
• avoid long gaps between meals
• stay hydrated throughout the day
• build calmer daily rhythms where possible
Casey’s way of keeping food real
- Keep meals simple and seasonal
• Cook from what is already in the kitchen
• Aim for balance, not perfection
• Slow down at least one meal a day
• Let food be both nourishment and joy
• Repeat what works instead of overcomplicating
