summer has me (and i'm sure you) running all over the place. bopping from pool to pool, and yoga class to cake delivery is definitely taking a tole on my time at home. which has taken a tole on my cooking time. but busy times like these are when i start to crack into 'set it and forget it' recipes. and this is my absolute go to. even better, it easily feeds many people and is GREAT for parties. 

we like to serve the pulled pork in tacos, but you could easily slap some on top of a tasty salad or make up some sliders. have left overs? no problem. try a pulled pork omelette or pork breakfast nachos with some cheese, chips, pulled pork and pico de gallo. 

pulled pork
serves: 6-8
prep time: 8-12 hours
active time: 30 minutes
braising time: 8 hours
total time: 20 hours
ingredients: 1 4-6lb bone in pork butt or pork shoulder (same thing, multiple names, also sometimes called boston butt). 3 tbs salt (divided). 2 tbs fresh ground pepper (divided). 1 tsp paprika. 1 tsp cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp cayenne pepper. 2 tbs olive oi1 small brown onion, diced. 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 1 15 oz can of pineapple chunks. .25 cup brown sugar. 2 bottles darker mexican beer (i used negro modelo). 1 chile de arbol. 1 quart chicken stock. dutch oven. baking sheet + wire rack that fits on top of it. 

start by combining 2 tbs of salt, half the garlic, cayenne, paprika, chili powder and cumin together. pat the pork dry and place it on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. season the outside of the pork all over with the spice rub. place the pork in the fridge overnight, uncovered so it gets nice and dry. when you are ready to cook, turn your oven on to 230 degrees f. 

place the dutch oven on your stove and turn on the heat to medium high heat. add in the olive oil and when it is nice and hot and in the onions and garlic. saute until the onions are just starting to brown. 6-8 minutes. 

push the onions to the edges of the pot and add in your pork. sear each side of the pork until nicely browned. about 2 minutes a side. 

when the pork has been seared on all sides and has a nice browned exterior, pour in the beer, pineapple, chicken stock, chile de arbol and brown sugar. stir well, cover and place in the oven. cook low and slow for 8 hours. 

after 8 hours, remove the pork from the braising liquid. be careful, it will be so tender it may fall apart.

 using your tongs or some forks, gently shred the pork and remove the bone. drizzle a cup or so of some of the yummy braising liquid over the pork. devour as desired. 

pulled pork
serves: 6-8
prep time: 8-12 hours
active time: 30 minutes
braising time: 8 hours
total time: 20 hours
ingredients: 1 4-6lb bone in pork butt or pork shoulder (same thing, multiple names, also sometimes called boston butt). 3 tbs salt (divided). 2 tbs fresh ground pepper (divided). 1 tsp paprika. 1 tsp cumin. 1 tsp chili powder. .5 tsp cayenne pepper. 2 tbs olive oi1 small brown onion, diced. 3 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped. 1 15 oz can of pineapple chunks. .25 cup brown sugar. 2 bottles darker mexican beer (i used negro modelo). 1 chile de arbol. 1 quart chicken stock. dutch oven. baking sheet + wire rack that fits on top of it.
start by combining 2 tbs of salt, half the garlic, cayenne, paprika, chili powder and cumin together. pat the pork dry and place it on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. season the outside of the pork all over with the spice rub. place the pork in the fridge overnight, uncovered so it gets nice and dry. when you are ready to cook, turn your oven on to 230 degrees f. place the dutch oven on your stove and turn on the heat to medium high heat. add in the olive oil and when it is nice and hot and in the onions and garlic. saute until the onions are just starting to brown. 6-8 minutes. push the onions to the edges of the pot and add in your pork. sear each side of the pork until nicely browned. about 2 minutes a side. when the pork has been seared on all sides and has a nice browned exterior, pour in the beer, pineapple, chicken stock, chile de arbol and brown sugar. stir well, cover and place in the oven. cook low and slow for 8 hours. after 8 hours, remove the pork from the braising liquid. be careful, it will be so tender it may fall apart. using your tongs or some forks, gently shred the pork and remove the bone. drizzle a cup or so of some of the yummy braising liquid over the pork. devour as desired. 

even though we are only on the third day of twenty-seventeen, i feel like so much has already happened. 

i've never really been someone who is good at "relaxing." maybe that's why i like yoga so much. even in my relaxed state i like to move around. unless my butt is parked in the sand somewhere, i'm terrible at sitting still. so after two days off at home, celebrating our anniversary and a new year, i was ready to attack. 

in two days i've already filled january's calendar. i picked up a few more yoga classes and a couple more spin classes as well as a cooking demo. and somehow i still found the time to cook and shoot this tasty salad as i prepped and planned for two collaborative photo shoots today. and i topped it off this morning by teaching my first class of this week's 13 classes i'm teaching. 

basically, i'm going for it this year. when planning to start our own business, we always knew that the first couple of years would be intense. and here we are. in the middle of it all. and i'm embracing it. 

i've declared this the year of growth. growth in my personal life, my yoga practice, my cooking, my business, my family. growth in everything. and the first things i'm working on are more quick, easy and satisfying dishes. gone are the days where i get to spend all day barefoot in my kitchen making stews and all day sauces. i need low work, high impact here people! and i'm starting out with a bang. this shrimp packs a huge flavor punch, is healthy and quick and easy to prepare. triple threat. 

spiced shrimp salad
serves: 1
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 10 minutes
total time: 12 minutes
ingredients: 5 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (4 oz if you need to get another size). 2 cups mixed greens. handful of cherry tomatoes, halved. 1 shallot, thinly sliced. 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided. 1 tsp salt. .5 tsp pepper. 1 tsp cumin. 1 tsp paprika. 1 tbs dijon mustard. 1 tbs lemon juice. 1 handful seasoned croutons. 

start by mixing half your salt and pepper, all the cumin, paprika and mustard together in a small bowl. 

whisk in 2 tbs of the olive oil until it makes a paste. 

pat your shrimp dry and remove the tails. you can easily remove the tails by pinching the base of the tail, lightly squeezing and then pulling it away. 

discard the tails and rub the shrimp down with the spice rub. 

in a pan, combine the shallot, 1 tbs of the olive oil and a pinch of remaining salt and pepper over medium heat. cook the shallots until they are starting to brown. stirring every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes. 

while your shallots are cooking, make your dressing. in a small bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice and whisk to combine. set aside. 

in a salad bowl, combine your lettuce, croutons and tomatoes. drizzle with dressing and toss well to combine. 

when your shallots are cooked, add in your spiced shrimp and cook till pink and cooked through, flipping once. about 3 minutes total. 

top your salad with shrimp and salad and serve warm. 

xo, a

spiced shrimp salad
serves: 1
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 10 minutes
total time: 12 minutes
ingredients: 5 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (4 oz if you need to get another size). 2 cups mixed greens. handful of cherry tomatoes, halved. 1 shallot, thinly sliced. 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided. 1 tsp salt. .5 tsp pepper. 1 tsp cumin. 1 tsp paprika. 1 tbs dijon mustard. 1 tbs lemon juice. 1 handful seasoned croutons.
start by mixing half your salt and pepper, all the cumin, paprika and mustard together in a small bowl. whisk in 2 tbs of the olive oil until it makes a paste.
pat your shrimp dry and remove the tails. you can easily remove the tails by pinching the base of the tail, lightly squeezing and then pulling it away.
discard the tails and rub the shrimp down with the spice rub.
in a pan, combine the shallot, 1 tbs of the olive oil and a pinch of remaining salt and pepper over medium heat. cook the shallots until they are starting to brown. stirring every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes.
while your shallots are cooking, make your dressing. in a small bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon juice and whisk to combine. set aside.
in a salad bowl, combine your lettuce, croutons and tomatoes. drizzle with dressing and toss well to combine.
when your shallots are cooked, add in your spiced shrimp and cook till pink and cooked through, flipping once. about 3 minutes total.
top your salad with shrimp and salad and serve warm.