Lisa Dolan, founder of LARK Skin Co., is quick to support local farmers and food producers and frequents neighborhood eateries on nights when dinner happens outside the house. She’s a vegetarian, though her husband Tim and son Liam, 6, eat meat. At home, Dolan finds creative ways to cook one meal for everyone with a few substitutions that satisfy all three of them.
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Being able to shop from independent, local makers is important to Dolan and her family. “As a small business owner, I really want to support others in my community, and I like being able to see and talk to the people that I’m buying from,” she says.
Shopping adventures
Almost every weekend, Dolan and her son go to the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market to scout out the best produce. “We taste-test in-season fruits and veggies. Liam loves to be involved,” she says. “Plus, he usually gets a popsicle from Whisk.”
Beauty from the inside out
Dolan started LARK Skin Co. because she was obsessed with clean ingredients and found a need for high-quality, natural skincare. Her passion is evident in the recipes she cooks. Coconut water and mushroom powder (which show up in the family’s breakfast smoothies and dinnertime smoothie bowls) provide extra hydration and antioxidants in their meals.
Relaxing together
Friday nights are a time to unwind as a family, usually while eating pizza on the couch. Nearby pizza joints Farotto’s and Dewey’s are family favorites. Plus, “Dewey’s has really good salads, so it feels like a good balance.”
Fall favorites
“I look forward to making my veggie chili and might try it in my Instant Pot—it’s a new kitchen gadget for me,” says Dolan. The blog Smitten Kitchen has a Dolan family-approved recipe for Moroccan-spiced spaghetti squash that is in heavy rotation when the temperature drops.
Sample Weekly Dinner Menu
Monday: Leftovers from Sunday dinner
Tuesday: Taco night (ground beef for Tim and Liam, black beans for Lisa)
Wednesday: Gluten-free spaghetti with Rao’s pasta sauce
Thursday: Smoothie bowls
Friday: Takeout pizza from Dewey’s
Saturday: A mix of farmers’ market finds: fresh bread, Baetje Farms cheese, and meat and dips from AO+CO
Sunday: Pot roast with homemade mac and cheese, baked potatoes, and salad
