I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!
Please note, there are affiliate links in this post- thank you! xoxo
I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!
Please note, there are affiliate links in this post- thank you! xoxo
This post is sponsored by Gixo. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting our sponsors!
When my health challenges started to make my gym routines difficult, I began to realize that a gym membership just couldn’t be in my cards anymore. I had no idea from day to day if my body was going to cooperate and there were months that I paid for a full membership and only was able to make a class or two.
That, my friends, was not a good return on investment.
That is when I REALLY began to realize the beauty in online month-by-month memberships and how affordable they were. Online apps typically cost less than a single class at my gym and pay for themselves rather quickly. Even more than that, I am able to use these apps around my busy work schedule!
Haven’t tried a gym app before?
Well, today I wanted to show off a new-to-me app called Gixo! Gixo is designed for busy schedules with 15, 25 or 40-minute workout classes and include offerings like:
You are able to exercise wherever you are (at home, outdoors, traveling, at the gym, or on the go) and ZERO equipment is required.
Here are a few other reasons why I REALLY love this app!
The accountability factor- One of the reasons many people gravitate towards gym memberships is that accountability factor. Although many classes are available as on-demand options, you can sign up for class times just like you would with a traditional gym membership. Signing up for a class means that you will receive a text reminder that you have a class coming up (and what equipment you might need), and then a text that reminds you when your class is starting. Scheduling a class requires you to commit and then follow through on what you set out to do for the day.
The fun coaching- When you sign into class, you take a quick selfie to check in, and your coach has access to your screen to help guide you through your class. Having this view, they are able to help you make adjustments that help reduce the risk of injury. I loved that when I checked in for class, I even got a shoutout from the coach, all the way in London, to thank me for joining in. It makes the experience feel more intimate than just a recorded class and it gives you a personal trainer experience.
The incredible music- Workouts, for me, are ALL about the music and each of their classes has awesome music mixes curated by Gixo’s in-house DJ. I also appreciate that you can make adjustments to coaching and the music levels so if I want to just do my own workout to their amazing mixes, I can do that by turning down the volume on the coaching.
When would I do this?
Oh, how about when I am KILLING IT around my house or doing my laundry.
How fun is that?
They Add Variation to My Winter Treadmill Workouts- It is hard to make a treadmill workout fun, but Gixo manages to do it. Thanks to this app, I’m able to hit my goals with steps and they weave in strength routines, like a series of pushups, that make this more fun and more beneficial to your body.
It is affordable-Memberships start at just $14.99/mo (billed at $179.99/year) or $19.99/mo. This cost means that it is less than the cost of a single studio class and that you are able to get A LOT for your money. You also aren’t put into one gym class type category. I can do a strength class, yoga, run or walk (outside or on my treadmill),
Want to try it out? How about some coupons AND a giveaway today?
Use code momadvice on the Gixo app to get a 7-day free trial and 20% off either a monthly or one-year subscription!
Follow the instructions below to enter to win a 1-year subscription to Gixo! Good luck, everyone!
Use this free reading challenge worksheet with 26 reading prompts to help you GROW and STRETCH as a reader in 2019!
We are here and we want our MomAdvice Reading Challenge!
Bookworms, you have been heard! I apologize that I didn’t get this out on the first of the month, but today is my FIRST day without my kiddos home from their winter break. I am sitting amid a mountain of laundry and four cups of coffee, but I was NOT about to put this reading challenge aside one more day for you!
Each year I hear how much you enjoy doing these and I have loved seeing these worksheets all filled out with your pretty checks. More than that though, I love seeing how it is helping you grow and stretch as a reader.
I am sticking to our plan of having 26 categories and have added many of the suggestions made by our book club members that they were interested in tackling this year.
Start your engines, friends! I hope this helps you reach your reading goals! Don’t forget to join our book club and check out my list of top books of 2018 for inspiration for this fun challenge! xoxo
Have you been missing the 3 little things list each week? Just so you know, this feature didn’t go away…it just moved over to my newsletters each week.
I know your time is precious and our inbox can get overloaded with a lot of newsletter junk. What I want you to know though is that I’m REALLY proud of the newsletters I craft each week and I include loads of shows, podcasts, books, and items we are loving in our home each week.
Today I wanted to share what you might have missed this past month in one big giant happy list!!
My December Happy List
How was your December? I hope that you had a wonderful month filled with the people you love! We had a whole heck of a lot of fa-la-lahing this season…and I’m not complaining one bit.
Here are a few things that topped my December Happy List!
Gift Wrapping Dates
I’m in a life stage where seeing friends is challenging so weaving in those real life tasks and errands with friends means I can catch up AND get something done. I invited a friend over to wrap gifts with me and we had such a good time that this is our new annual tradition. Sipping wine, wrapping together, and singing holiday carols is amazing.
Years ago I got this table and I can’t tell you how awesome it was to wrap my gifts on it. Since it folds so small, it hardly takes up space and both of us could wrap at the same time without issues. I was reminded why this is one of my favorite things. Small space living calls for creativity and well-thought design. This one was worth every dollar.
Each year, I try to create a memorable playlist and this one has been TWO years of hunting for the most obscure songs from wayyy back in the day to indie hits that should have more airplay and even some new contemporary music to mix in. I present to you, FRESH Christmas.
It is THIRTEEN (!!!) hours long and I couldn’t love each track more. The weirdest part? I am now getting musicians contacting me and sending me songs to see if I will put it on my mix. I can now add music producer to my list of talents- hahaha!
For the holidays, I rely on my long-wearing lipsticks to keep me looking polished while I stuff my face with Christmas cookies. If you are looking for one that will get you through an entire day (FOR REALZ!), I recommend this one.
It’s important to know these are often vibrant (at least the colors I choose). Don’t panic, just do a few blots with a tissue and enjoy your night without lipstick on your teeth this year. Those reviews don’t lie, friends, this stuff sticks! For a holiday red, I’m loving Pioneer.
I told you guys last week that I had read this book so I could prepare for the movie and couldn’t wait to dive in. This movie was just so beautifully done and I so appreciated that they had taken out all the sexual stuff in the book so that I could enjoy it with my tween daughter. If you have a tween that you are on the hunt for a great movie to watch together, this one fits the bill perfectly. Thanks, Netflix!
Last year I noticed that Hearth & Hand was offering a small Christmas tree that looked just perfect for our home. I went to the store to snag it, only to see that every unit that had been listed online was being used as an ornament display for the store. When I saw these on display, I quickly realized why. With its unique Scandinavian design, this tree allowed for multiple ornaments to be on the same branch and they all had the spacing advantage to be on display at the same time.
As I put it up again this year, a chore that now only takes me an hour or so to pull off, I was reminded how good it was that we downsized this and how nice it is to put out fewer Christmas decorations each year. A fresh wreath filled with holiday greenery, a big bowl of clementines (soon to be eaten), and a few handmade holiday items are all we need to make our home festive this year.
With limited time to see everyone and do everything before the holidays, I have been relying heavily upon my good app friend, Marco Polo. If you are a newer to the MomAdvice community, you might not have heard me sing praises about this smart app, but it is one of my favorite app offerings for busy moms.
Install the app and send a video walkie talkie message to a friend or family member. Once you send them one, they get an alert they have a message that they can watch. When they are available, they can just send you a video walkie talkie message back. No need to coordinate at all, like on FaceTime and Skype. You just send it when you are available, listen when you can, reply when you want to.
It’s definitely something to check out and has made me feel MORE connected to so many people in my life. The best part? It’s completely FREE!
I have been looking for a supportive pillow for my back when I am reading and decided that this pillow was the perfect solution for reading books in my shed. It is a 10-in-1 pillow so you can flip it in all different directions to give your body support where it needs it. I had high hopes this would be a good solution and it is AMAZINGLY comfortable. If you do a lot of reading in bed or work from a couch/bed, this offers an incredible amount of support and comfort. I can’t rave enough. I’m pretty much the ladies in these infomercials– haha!
The pillow does come without a cover, but I found one over here (I bought the dark color so it will hold up better) and it keeps the pillow protected.
Are you seeing a theme here? On my bad days, I love the option to work from my comfy bed so I read through one million reviews and submitted this adjustable laptop tray as my gift idea from my parents. The legs can go very tall, the tray can be tilted so your neck is in the right position, and the top is GENEROUS so you can use your mouse.
The design is really thoughtful. I love that it has rubber edges to keep your laptop and mouse from slipping down and the adjustability on this is super straightforward. Best of all, it is really lightweight too so it makes it easy to take it where I need it. Did I mention a lifetime warranty?
According to the packaging, it is also perfect for a picnic….just in case you need another use for it.
Massages are out of my price range right now so I wanted to find something that I could use at home. When I ran across this portable massager, I thought it would help me so much with my neck and back issues.
You guys. This thing is AMAZING!! It really does feel like someone is massaging your back and you have full control over the intensity because your arms just loop through it to move it around. It is heated so it also adds warmth while you are being massaged which has helped relax my muscles so much.
It also comes with an obnoxious car charger which I plan to use to embarrass my children and annoy my spouse when we trade off on driving. I mean, as if sitting on my phone wasn’t obnoxious enough, lemme pull out my neck massager while I wait for you to get done with your drama class.
I can’t wait to be *that* mom!
Those were a few of my favorite gifts this year!
Here are a few of my favorite captures this month!
Aldi bouquet arranging is my jam. $3.99 for a half dozen roses? I’m in! Repurposed candles from this tablescape idea.
Junior League of South Bend gala- a blast with a few of my new favorite gal pals!
My baby turned THIRTEEN. We celebrated with this cake and mom cried a lot.
It was allll about family! This black-and-white image is me with my sister & brother. Right above it, is my sister-in-law sharing a cup of cheer at the pop-up Christmas bar that had opened.
My daughter made this gorgeous picture of us. My husband joined the table tennis club in town, I have perfected my top bun, my cat is obsessed with our poor son (who is slightly less enraptured with her- at least he pretends to be!), and our daughter’s moto pants are on-point.
I couldn’t love my people more!
What about you? What did you love this month?
Here’s what I *could* tell from your browsing this year!
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what’s in store for January! I hope my month of happy brings a month of happy to you too! If this post doesn’t convince you my newsletter is fun, I’ve got nothing. Sign up over here to get this fun weekly in your inbox.
*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though. Check out past editions of It’s the 3 Little Things!
I hope you enjoyed our notebook, a collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, thrifty ways to spruce up your home, and thoughtful reads. Nothing brings me more joy than to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!
Please note, there are affiliate links in this post- thank you! xoxo
For this quick and easy pulled pork recipe, all you will need is 3 simple ingredients and an Instant Pot! Learn how to make this gluten-free main dish and prep it for a week of lunches for your week!
If you love your pressure cooker, raise your hand! I use my Instant Pot all of the time and have come to rely upon it for many effortless family meals. These simple pressure cooker recipes have, truly, become part of our menu plan rotation. I also began to realize that some of the older recipes (I see you, old school MomAdvice readers!!) could benefit from a pressure cooker update too.
These recipes have been quietly gathering dust at our home… that is, until now!
My 3-ingredient Instant Pot Ribs recipe have been a bit of a viral sensation on our website. It was with my rib recipe in mind that today’s pulled pork also has just a few simple ingredients.
Confession time! We love our pressure cooker so much now that we frequently bring it with us when we go on vacation. I’ve discovered so many great recipes that everyone seems excited now when I break this gadget out. Honestly, we have saved so much money on our trips by taking this gadget along with us when we travel that no one makes fun of me anymore.
The best part, of course, is the minimal clean-up with Instant Pot cooking. I also purchased an additional plastic lid that makes food storage easy. One of the best investments we made was to purchase this awesome lid.
An extra insert is always handy too so you always have a pot to prepare in!
Less dishes AND less money spent?
Now, that’s a vacation mom’s dream!
The first time I adapted my recipe, the directions said that I only needed 45 minutes to achieve perfectly shredded pork.
Unfortunately, this short duration of cooking did not yield the fall apart meat that I was after. I tested my pulled pork recipe several times with two different cuts of pork. I have made this recipe several times and, through my trials, I now know exactly what type of pork to purchase and how long to cook it.
Here is the thing, while many recipes do suggest a shorter cooking duration, you will struggle more with shredding your meat.
Trust me, this recipe is worth the wait!
Once your pork shoulder is done, it is time to quick release your pressure cooker.
What Does Quick Release Even Mean?
Not sure what the difference is between Natural Release and Quick Release? That’s okay! This appliance definitely comes with a learning curve.
I found this diagram that should help visually explain the big differences between these two types of venting.
What does a recipe mean when it says that you should quick release your valve? This just means you will move the float valve to the venting position when it is done cooking. This allows all the steam to come out fast and at once.
When the recipe calls for Natural Release though, we just allow our pot to cool a bit on its own. Typically, you wait 10 minutes so that the steam that is released will be much less. It is called Natural Release because it allows the float valve to drop naturally over time.
With today’s recipe, you won’t have to wait a minute after your bbq pulled pork is done. As soon as you hear the pressure cooker beep, you can slide your valve right on over to release the steam.
What Is the Difference Between a Pork Butt and a Pork Shoulder?
Am I the only one that wishes I was taught the difference in different cuts of meat for my recipes? One of the most confusing parts of cooking is knowing which cut of meat to select when visiting your grocery store.
Pork butt and pork shoulder are often offered as two cut options for recipes like this pulled pork. The thing I have discovered though is that they yield very different results.
Both of these cuts of meat come from the shoulder of the pig. The big difference is that the pork butt portion will be higher on the foreleg, while the shoulder is further down.
While both of these pieces of meat can benefit from similar cooking styles, they don’t end up with the same results.
The flavors were very different and reminded me of how different a chicken thigh is versus a chicken breast.
If we use a cut of chicken, as a comparison tool, I do find that the pork butt has the same consistency as the thigh meat of chicken.
It is darker in appearance, is more tender, and yields a better flavor.
Dare I use the word, MOIST?
Ugh!
Sorry, but that is the truth!
The pork shoulder, on the other hand, has a drier texture and is more difficult to shred. I find that this cut always ends up chewier than the pork butt.
You can still use the pork shoulder as your cut of meat though. It is just important to understand that this cut won’t yield that delicious consistency you are after in your final product.
Are Pork Loin Roast and a Pork Tenderloin the Same Cut of Meat?
Once again, we find another confusing cut from the piggie. Pork Loin Roast and Pork Tenderloin are NOT the same… even though they sound the same.
Both of these cuts are leaner cuts of meat and although they sound the same, they look very different. Pork tenderloins are long and thin while the pork loin roast has a similar shape to the beef roast.
Now That I Know All About Pork Cuts, What Other Things Can I Make With Pork?
If you are adding more pork to your menu plan, I have a few reliable recipes for you. These Slow Cooker Carnitas helped us ease up on our Chipotle runs.
If you prefer a pork chop, these Caprese Chops are perfect for throwing on the grill.
Looking for a lean tenderloin recipe? I can’t recommend this Balsamic & Rosemary Pork Tenderloin Sheet Pan meal enough. It’s one of those that works really well at feeding a crowd, with minimal effort and minimal dishes.
What Other Types of Liquid Can I Use if I Don’t Have Any Root Beer?
I consider the liquid added to my pulled pork as a “clean out the fridge,” type of project. While root beer has always been my go-to liquid choice for my pulled pork, I have replaced it with any dark colored soda (like Coke or Dr. Pepper) with equally great results.
We also aren’t beer drinkers, but people have left beers at our house when we have entertained. Sometimes I use cider beer or even a dark ale as my cooking liquid. I have used beer successfully with my carnita recipe too.
Whatever liquid you choose, it is important to know that whenever you pressure cook, you want at least one cup of liquid on the bottom of your pot. This liquid prevents any scorching from happening and helps with the flavor of your dish.
Why Does This Recipe Use a Bottled Sauce?
Honestly, it takes a lot more than three ingredients if you want to make your own sauce. The additional time to mix up all those flavor components makes it a more labor intensive project. Instead of trying to make your own sauce, you will find that bottled sauce can make this dish much easier.
Do you have a favorite barbecue sauce? I’m a big fan of the Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce because I feel like it incorporates the brown sugar sweetness that I have come to love in a good bottled sauce.
Why would I go to the trouble of doing this when I can just buy a sauce on the grocery shelves?
As a mom, it is allll about saving time in the kitchen, amiright?
Once your pork butt is done cooking, it should only take you about 15 minutes to shred the meat for sandwiches and finish with the barbecue sauce.
For sides, fruit and veggies are the perfect accompaniment.
Are you a ranch dipper? I used these cups for our dip and just piled my veggies on top for snacking on while I worked.
I have found sweet potatoes are the perfect vehicle for pulled pork.
To prepare your sweet potatoes, begin by rinsing them off. After your potatoes are rinsed, prick them with a fork, brush them with olive oil, and roll them in kosher salt. Place your sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake them for one hour at 400 degrees.
I hope you will enjoy our great recipe at your dinner table too! Who knows? Maybe you will be traveling with the pressure cooker on your lap too!
Be sure to SCROLL DOWN for loads more dinner ideas. I have you covered!! Don’t have an Instant Pot? Use this recipe for your Slow Cooker instead!
3-Ingredient Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Barbecue
Author: MomAdvice.com
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8 servings
For this pulled pork recipe, all you will need is 3 simple ingredients and an Instant Pot! Learn how to make this gluten-free main dish and prep it for a week of lunches for your week!
Ingredients
Prepared Sweet Potatoes
1 (4 pound) Pork Butt (you can substitute with the Pork Shoulder, but please read why I don’t recommend this)
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce ([url href=”https://rstyle.me/n/dd57cpwky6″ target=”_blank”]this is my recommendation[/url] ALWAYS)
Instructions
Pour a can of root beer in the Instant Pot. Place your pork butt (or shoulder) on top of the root beer and season well with salt and pepper. If you like a little garlic flavor to your pulled pork, you can also sprinkle with garlic powder to bring that component in. This is optional though!
Lock the lid and select the Meat function (this should be on HIGH pressure), and set your timer for 90 minutes.
Once the timer beeps, quick release your valve and remove the pork butt from the pressure cooker.
Shred the meat and drain the root beer from the pressure cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce and toss gently.
Serve in buns or prepared sweet potatoes. See my full post for a meal prep day for a week of lunches.
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Looking for more easy recipes? Check these simple weeknight meal ideas below!
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