The story of Pixar at Amsterdam Expo

Last weekend we went to Amsterdam  for the "Pixar, 25 years of animation" exposition. It shows, through numerous sketches, the story of Pixar since its beginnings. We enjoyed the exposition, but to be honest we thought it was a bit pricey, at EUR 19 per person.

I think hardcore fans would be pleased, as you see tons and tons of drawings. I found interesting that you could see different versions of a character... admiring the behind-the-scenes process that goes on to choose the final drafts. There are also models, clay figures, and my favorite a Zoetrope that brought the characters of Toy Story to life in 3 dimensions.

You can visit the exposition at the Amsterdam EXPO buiding (Gustav Mahlerlaan 24
1082 MC in Amsterdam), near the Amsterdam Zuid train station until October 27, 2013.

I wanna be like the Honey Badger

 I have such an ability to stress for nothing... it's amazing. I wish I was better at not caring. This morning I had a dentist appointment and I had been dreading it for a full week. It went fine and everything is pretty much OK. I did not use to be afraid of dentists but lately I am just afraid they will find cavities every time I sit there. Then of course they are fixing a part of the tramway rails (it's summer after all) and there were less trams going. I had checked my schedule on a website that supposedly gives updated information. The tram I was supposed to take never came, I had to take another line and then transfer, and of course I was late. 5 minutes late, which in the end did not matter because they were delayed and they accepted me anyway but in the meantime the boy had to call for me and they told him that either I had to wait 2 hours or I would pay twice for the lost appointment. Does anyone have a recipe for zen? I wish I was just more calm about things, but I just tend to worry over all the little non important things to the max at every little chance I get....

The Breakfast Club: MY creative

 As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, bread, butter, tea and some sort of jam). Today I am excited to bring you the super talented photographer and all around creative Michelle from MY Creative Photography. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

I was excited when Amanda asked if I wanted to contribute to this new series as I often try to eat healthy but often fail.  The recipes I share on my own blog generally lean towards the healthy end but temptation and the lack of planning often makes it hard to stick to a good eating regime.

One of the hardest things I find in eating healthy is my inevitable rush in the morning to get into work which leads to me buying some awfully monstrous breakfast on the go.  One of my solutions for this dilemma is breakfast in a jar!

This one is super simple but that is the point right.  You will need one grated pear, 1/3 cup of oats (I like the jumbo variety) and around 250-300 ml oatmilk, or whatever brand of milk you prefer.  I find oatmilk has a creamy luxury-ness to it that makes it feel 'naughty' although it is pretty low calories.  Then put the grated pear in the jar, cover with oats and then milk. You could also layer it alternatively if you are going to eat it straight out the jar.  By the time I have got to work the oats have softened with the milk and I feel I have had a much more nutritious start to the day.

This is also great with apple and though I haven't tried would be pretty good with mashed/chopped berries or even nectarine/peach type fruits.

The jar concept is also perfect for smoothies on the go.  What would you put in a jar?

The Pressure cooker

A few months ago, after thinking long and hard, we got a pressure cooker. The decision process was  helped by the fact that I found ours at a very good price, with 55 % off the normal price.
Lately, we try to eat very little meat: we actually don't get any chicken, meat or fish with our weekly groceries, and when we do eat meat we try to make sure it is organic / biological. I don't know if this happens to other pseudo-vegetarians, but sometimes I get this really strong cravings (though it happens less and less and it often changes with the season). It is difficult to recognize this, but I do actually enjoy meat.

Anyhow, to get a source of protein we rely on beans, lentils, chickpeas and other pulses. (Quinoa as well, but I think it's not a pulse). The thing with pulses is that either they take hours and hours to cook or you have to get them in tins or glass jars. I  felt uncomfortable with the amount of glass and tin we were throwing away (and I don't have the patience to babysit the pans for hours), so a pressure cooker seemed ideal.

I grew up scared of "la olla express". You heard stories of pans exploding, and that little dancing, chirping valve on top, constantly moving was always a threat, announcing a disaster. As I researched whether or not to get it and what I could do with it I was surprised / amused to find out that they are very popular both in Latin America and in Asia because they save a lot of energy and mean less time spent in the kitchen, which translates as less warmth from hanging around the stove in already semi-tropical weathers. It also means that since food is cooked at high temperatures for shorter amounts of time, there are more nutrients available.

I am super happy with it. As it turns out the dancing valve is a thing of the past, ours has a security system that pops up with different shades of yellow-orange-red indicating the level of pressure, and when you are ready, the pressure just releases by itself until it reaches a safety level, meaning you can open  the pan without any fear. So far I have made a few lentil dishes, and a lot of Mexican-style refried beans (that are then used on molletes , quesadillas or just as a side dish). I know though, that there are a million other things I could be making... does anyone have recipes / experience with a pressure cooker? What's your favorite dish to make?

Animals in captivity

Zoos have always had a big influence on me. Up until today, if we visit a city and there is a zoo, we go. I really believe zoos can have a crucial educational and scientific role: they can for sure change the ways we act towards our environment and have a big influence on kids of all ages. I was one of those kids...  who then pursued studies in Biology and Veterinary medicine and who still yearns to do work that matters in that field, because I very very strongly feel we are all connected. I have volunteered at Zoo Education department activities and I have been involved in biodiversity conservation projects.

 However, lately I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with the idea of keeping wild animals in captivity. Of course there are zoos and zoos. And if it is done properly, if the animals are stimulated, well kept, taken care of, I do think the role they can have in changing minds is worth taking the animals away from nature. This task of zoos seems particularly needed for us humans who seem not to respect anything around us. I guess it also depends of the species: some smaller species are easier to keep in an environment that closely resembles their own. But for highly social and highly intelligent animals that also depend on culture, that learn from growing up in groups with older peers, it just seems that it's almost impossible to stimulate them properly, to have them live a dignified life in captivity, to recreate their natural lives.

  Perhaps we should start thinking of other ways to educate and instill this curiosity from early ages? Nature walks, visits to national parks, documentaries, interactive classes? (I am not convinced on ecotourism either, I basically distrust anything that's done for profit, and regardless of good intentions, going over and over and over to a protected place can alter the ecosystems it is supposed to protect. But I guess it depends on how it's done). How do you feel about this?

The Breakfast Club: Liquorice and Pumps

 As I try to find ways of eating a more healthy and varied breakfast I decided to ask a few of my internet friends and readers to share their favorite breakfast. (My usual breakfast is  almost always the same, bread, butter, tea and some sort of jam). Today I am delighted to bring you fun-loving Louise Elisabeth from Liquorice and Pumps. By the way, I would be thrilled if you would like to participate in this weekly series, in which case, just send a breakfast themed post to: poppiesandicecream@gmail.com

  When Amanda asked me to write about my breakfast habits I was totally honored. Me, writing about healthy delicious food, who would have thought? OK, so this asks for some background information: I used to be overweight, I still am a bit but I've lost around 33 lbs (15 kg) this year by changing my life. I think about what I eat, about healthy choices, but also about exercise. The devil is in the details, like taking the stairs in stead of the elevator.

Back to the beginning of all beginnings: breakfast. I can't start the day without a healthy breakfast. I have to work and study all day so I need a good base. My perfect breakfast contains: water, dairy produce (for my calcium levels), fibers, fruit, veggies and vegtable oil. Here is an example:

-Eggs scrambled with tomatoes, cooked in a teaspoon of arachide oil (I use a frying pan with non-stick coating)

-0% fat quark with a chopped peach (try some different brands of quark, some can be quiet sour but there are some really yummy options out there. The biological ones are usually very good)

-Whole-weat crackers (the extra fiber option)

-And my favorite tea, Moroccan herbs :D

Here are some tips:

1. Take your time! It is totally worth it. It stops your belly from growling for cookies at 11 o'clock ;-)
2. Try to minimize prefabricated stuff, they have so many weird additives. I have no idea what E numbers do or mean but cave men certainly didn't ingest them, so I guess I'm safe to avoid them ;-)
3. Vary. Keep it interesting for yourself (and your family). Try different brands, different veggies and fruits (just found out Chinese cabbage isn't that tasty with scrambled eggs :p)
4. Make it last: rye bread has loads of  fibers and is considered a healthy option. But if I had to eat it everyday I would go mental! So just find out what suits you and take in account tip 3 ;-)

I hope you enjoyed my fairly messy blog post and feel inspired to start your day healthy and happy!