Crockpot Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

Sometimes I can catch a case of the lazies when it comes to organizing, cleaning, showering ... and cooking. However, I've never gotten a case of the lazies when it comes to eating. 

This is when I'm in a predicament. I don't want to cook, but, um, I have to eat. 

Insert crockpot recipe to save me from getting the hangries yet still allowing myself to be lazy. 

This creation was a mix of what I had in my cabinets, and a few different recipes I had saved online. 

The first step was to get out my slow-cooker and add one chopped white onion. 

Next, I made a little seasoning mix of things I had in the cabinet. 

1 teaspoon Oregano 

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Chili Powder

I salt and peppered the pork tenderloin and added it on top of the chopped onions. 

Next, I added my homemade mix to the top of the pork tenderloin. I only added it to one side because the other side was the fattier side of the tenderloin. 

I had some Salsa Verde on hand so I added probably 1/2 cup to the crockpot. 

I also added a couple of chipotle in adobo peppers with a spoonful of chipotle sauce.

For liquid, I added a can of beef broth.

I put the slow-cooker on high for about 2-3 hours. I checked it, then let it on low for about an hour until it was pulled apart tender. 

As you see above, I pulled a piece apart before snapping a photo. 

Then I shredded the entire pork tenderloin in the crockpot and let it all submerse it's delicious self in the juice it had created.

After a few pieces were removed, the only thing I wanted to do was make a simple taco out of it. You could use this meat for: tacos, burritos, salads, by itself, made into chicken enchiladas, you get the idea. 

A simple taco of chipotle pork tenderloin, white onion, diced tomato and some shredded cheese. 

I couldn't just make one so I made three. And then ate them all in about 3 minutes. How do you cook pork tenderloin in a slow cooker? Let me know because I need more inspiration for lazy cooking!

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Trunk Club Fashion Box Review

There are two things in life that I find comfort in ... coming home from a long day and enjoying a glass of wine while online shopping and checking my mail to see that I have a package. Something that's becoming a new comfort is coming home to see I have a package that includes shopping... but with a surprise twist. 

If you're new to this blog or need a reminder, I blogged about Trunk Club in this post and did a Pro & Con list for Stitch Fix vs. Trunk Club here. 

Why am I currently loving Trunk Club so much? Because it's so easy and fun. The idea of having a 'personal stylist' who can pull clothing and shoes for life, work or events is just really handy. It's also nice to have someone just send you clothes that you can try on with what you already own. 



This month's trunk included something that I would have never tried for myself - for instance, the bottom right top is cute, but just didn't work on me because I have a long torso and this turned into a crop top. (Can I wear a crop top at 30?)

I'm still thinking about the flats on the left because they were super cute but something I would have never picked for myself. The two bags were both really nicely made but I sent them back because I only carry Stella & Dot purses since I am a stylist. 

1. Calson tank (on sale $20), 2. Two by Vince Comuto White Jeans, 3. Trouve Olive Dress

These were my FAVORITE picks from the trunk. Yes - they are all more on the 'simple' and basic side, but most of the time so is my style. I like tailored and classic pieces with a little trendy, but mostly easy to wear and go. 

The tank top also comes in a lot of different colors (I may or may not bought more...), these jeans had a great fit (need to be hemmed) and this dress was something I would have never picked out but loved once I put it on. 

That's why I love Trunk Club. You get someone who starts to know you and your style, sends you items you may or may not have picked out for yourself but gives you the convenience to try things on in your own home. I was able to take this olive dress and try it on with a lot of different shoes that I already own. I also tried it on with a few jackets to see how it could transition into fall. 

BLANKNYC Faux Leather Moto Jacket

 

I also received this Faux Leather Moto Jacket that I laughed when I opened the box because I already own it! To me, this means that my stylist and I are on the same page of what I like.

Remember: Joining Trunk Club is free. There is no cost for having a personal stylist, receiving a trunk box, or sending a box back. The only thing you pay for are the items that you keep. You can also let your stylist know your budget so they can keep items affordable for your life. 

If you want to signup, here's my referral link:  

(Not a sponsored post. Just my love for receiving surprises in the mail and want to share with everyone.)

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Eyelash Extensions: The Pros and Cons You Need to Know

Over a year ago, I was asked by a beauty salon owner in Little Rock if I would be interested in getting free eyelash extensions. She needed a volunteer to take before and after photos for her website. It seemed like a great deal to me - free eyelash extensions for just letting someone take a picture of my eyes before and after? DONE.

Here's the thing... when things are 'free' and 'new' it's best to do a little homework about what this means for your lashes.



Here's my personal before & after... on the left, you will see that my lashes are VERY blonde and you cannot tell their length without a lot of mascara and continually curing them throughout the day. 

The transformation was dramatic and amazing. No need to apply mascara, your lashes look incredible, you feel amazing, and you wonder why you had never gotten eyelash extensions before this moment in your life. It took about two hours total to do both eyes and you have to be very, very still. The glue that is used to adhere the fake lash to your real lash can make your eyes water, and even burn. (Ask what type of glue your lash expert uses before you allow them to apply anything.)

Then comes the part no one wants you to know... the lashes start to fall out after a couple of weeks. The fake ones, and your real ones. If you were to pay for this, it would easily cost between $150-200 for the first set. Refills cost around $75-125 and you need to have them done every 2-3 weeks. That's a lot of money to have these types of lashes if you start adding it up. 

After I decided that I didn't want to get them refilled again, I researched how to get them removed or let them fall out. Now, DO NOT DO WHAT I DID... if you get extensions, go back to your lash expert and let them remove them. Do not believe anything that is on the internet on how to remove them yourself. Stem, oil, none of the tips online work. 

My lashes after the lash extensions were removed with one coat of a regular mascara.

What's going to happen once you get them removed is that you will notice a lot of your natural lashes have fallen out or are VERY short. I cried for almost two weeks because my original lashes were long once mascara was applied and after removing the extensions my lashes were very short. 

Once I stopped crying, I researched and bought neuLASH. Again, I was skeptical of spending $100 for lash serum, but I read a lot of reviews and people seemed to see results. 

After a YEAR, and still using the same bottle of neuLASH (it seriously last forever and I've had NO irritations from using it) my lashes look 10x better! My lashes are thicker, longer and all I have to do is apply a coat or two of mascara and I'm out the door. 

Will I ever try extensions again? Nope. Not even if I was paid to have them. It's not worth it in the long run. 

If you want your lashes to stand out, consider trying neuLASH, trying a thickening mascara, or researching a 'Lash Lift and Tint.' I'm actually going to try it next week... stay tuned to see what a Lash Lift and Tint looks like before and after! 

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How to Get MAC Lipstick for Free

Everyone might have already known this but me, but you can get a free lipstick from MAC by just recycling used products! I was wondering around on the Internet one day and somehow came across a post about MAC's recycling program. After looking at MAC's website, if you recycle SIX products like foundation, concealers, blushes and certain tubes then you get a free lipstick. 

I was a bit skeptical because that just seemed a little too easy. There's always a catch, right?



I've been using MAC products for about a year now, so I had a few empty bottles (six to be exact) that I kept to see if this easy, peasy free lipstick recycle program was true. In Little Rock, we don't have a free-standing MAC store, but we do have a MAC counter inside of Dillard's. 

You have the option online to mail in products and choose a lipstick, but I actually didn't know which color I wanted so for me it was better to go inside a store/counter. 

The makeup artist at the MAC counter was SO nice - as soon as I told her I had six products she said, 'You can choose from any of the lipsticks that have the black bottom and silver top." My face must have said it all because it there were SO many choices. I was expecting the lipsticks that they were discontinuing... She helped me pick out a color that was right for me. 

So which one did I pick? I went with Captive by MAC. 

This is a really beautiful color, and I didn't have to throw any used products away, I got to recycle them. It's a win for my lips, and a win for the environment. 

Have you ever heard of the MAC recycle program? Which lipstick should I get next time?

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Pros & Cons: Stitch Fix vs. Trunk Club

Ever since I blogged about Trunk Club, I've been getting a lot of questions asking about how it's different than Stitch Fix. So I thought I would do a little comparison of both services to show the pros and cons of each one. (But really, getting clothes in the mail is always a pro!) 

In my opinion, Stitch Fix has a lot of pros that are great for a lot of people's lives. Stitch Fix is great if you just want to receive a fun box of clothes to try on every few weeks or months and easily add new pieces to your wardrobe. I also love that you get a 'style' card that shows you how you can wear pieces that they send to you with different outfits. 

It's also fun because they send you pieces that match your 'style profile' but maybe something you wouldn't have picked otherwise. One of my favorite skirts and jackets are from Stitch Fix! 

The cons are that you do have to pay $20 for each fix. They do allow you to apply the $20 as credit if you keep anything from your Stitch Fix box. If you don't, they keep the money and you're only out $20. (Which I'm sure you've blown $20 on a lot of other things in life.) You are given an assigned stylist, but you can't actually speak to that person just send a message before they ship a fix to give them a little direction in what you're looking for in clothing and accessories.  Some people might find this great and less of a hassle, others may want to give their stylist a little more detail! 

If you want a service that is more personalized, then try Trunk Club.

In my opinion, Trunk Club doesn't have a lot of cons except there aren't any incentives to buy items. With Stitch Fix you receive 25% off the total cost if you buy the entire Stitch Fix box. To me, this is a non-issue. Sometimes with an incentive, I'll end up buying more just to save money when I didn't even want all of the items in the first place.  

The pros with Trunk Club are that you actually have your own stylist that you can call, email, or send messages to online or through their app. It's also great when there is a special event, vacation, or moment in life that you are looking for specifics items for your wardrobe. There are no hidden fees with Trunk Club - no fee to join, have a trunk ship to you, or have it shipped back. You only pay for what items you keep from the trunk and send the rest back. It's really that simple. 

If you're curious what a Stitch Fix box looks like, I've written a post here about it and a Trunk Club post here. To me, the costs are comparable with each item if you are giving each service your budget guidelines. Both can be pricey per item if you give no guidelines - so I like to tell each one how much I am willing to spend on a shirt, pants, jacket, etc. That sets everyone up for success. 

If you feel like signing up to try either service or both, please use my referral link:
Stitch Fix 
Trunk Club 

Let me know if you have any questions! 

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