Category Archives: Blog

Meal Prep for Busy Professionals (Without Losing Your Whole Weekend)

If you have a busy professional schedule, you’ve likely heard it a million times before: “Work through the rest of the week if you want to spend Sunday meal prepping. As a busy working professional, you’ve probably heard the aforementioned hundreds of times: “If you can’t take the time to cook every Sunday, the rest […]

Mouthwatering Low Calorie Asian Meals That Don’t Taste Like Diet Food

Low-calorie Asian meals are meals that focus on high-calorie, nutrient-dense vegetables, lean proteins, and fresh aromatics instead of heavy oils, breading or refined sugars. These dishes are a colorful alternative to the plain, limited food served by healthy eating, and when cooked using fresh ingredients and traditional methods, such as grilling and steaming, they are […]

What to Eat for Better Gut Health, Less Bloating, and Easy Digestion

Digestive discomfort can impact energy, mood, and more. If you’ve ever been bloated after eating or had upsets, you are not the only one. What you feed your body is an important factor in helping to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn supports your digestive system. Making food choices that include high-quality nutrition […]

Homemade Stir Fry Sauce Recipes: 5 Easy Sauces You’ll Make on Repeat

If you’re interested in an easy, good homemade stir-fry sauce recipe that does not require you to purchase a whole bunch of specialty bottles, here is a quick recipe: blend soy sauce, a sweetener, acid, garlic, ginger, and a cornstarch slurry.  Pour over hot vegetables and protein in the final minute of stir-frying. This is […]

Spicy Eggplant Recipe: How to Get Silky, Never Greasy Eggplant Every Time

By the kitchen at Lona’s Lil Eats, 2199 California Ave., St. Louis, MO | Last updated: August 2026 The best spicy eggplant recipe sears thick batons of Chinese or Japanese eggplant in a hot pan until the edges are deep golden, then finishes them in a garlic-chili-soy sauce that thickens and clings in the final […]

Easy No-MSG Asian Cooking: Authentic Recipes & Flavour Secrets

Asian cuisine is popular all over the world for its strong flavour, colourful ingredients and nutritious food. Whether you’re making a fragrant stir-fry, a hearty noodle dish, a delicious soup or a well-cooked rice, there are so many variations to Asian cooking! But lots of home cooks feel that real taste can only be obtained […]

St. Louis Farmers Markets: The Complete 2026 Guide (Where to Go, What to Eat, and When to Skip the Crowds)

A St. Louis farmers market is a community-organized market where local farmers, craftspeople, and food stalls come together to sell produce, crafts, and prepared food directly to consumers. In this 2026 guide to St. Louis farmers markets, you’ll get all kinds of details – from hours to location to whether the markets accept SNAP/EBT – […]

Easy Peanut Sauce Recipe (5 Minutes, No Blender Needed)

Peanut sauce is a versatile, savory, slightly sweet sauce made by whisking together creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a sweetener. A five-minute, no-cook recipe created in the kitchen of Lona’s Lil Eats, St. Louis, MO, for home cooks who want a dipping sauce that is pantry-stable and doesn’t require a blender or […]