Next step in Mission Fifty is learning to cook 🧑‍🍳

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I was thinking I’m already starting to run up against the wall of good, interesting and tasty but healthy unprocessed foods in my diet as I get two months into Mission Fifty and cutting processed foods and sugar out of my diet.

One of the biggest problems I’m facing isn’t a lack of potentially tasty and healthy meals out there but figuring out how to cook things with the right kinds of spices and ingredients that are tasty and filling without so much deadly sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. Things that don’t require a million parishable ingredients to cook or careful measurements and can be made relatively quickly or at least with fairly minimum attention.

So I’ve been reading about food science and watching some YouTube. I’m not really interested in recipes per say but how different ingredients interact, their general taste, methods of cooking and use of spices. Not for a recipe book but really understanding food and what I’m putting into my body.

The use of the broiler in my oven and more cast iron cooking with spices helps a lot. Salmon is amazing, a big step up from fish sticks and broccoli or corn. Rice with proper seasoning is pretty good especially when used with something like the salmon, chicken or tofu. Tofu is fine raw but a lot better a bit crispy from the boiler. And old fashioned oats is good with lots of fruit. Mixing up the fruit every week, trying new things helps a lot.

Rice has replaced most of what pasta and sauce was in my diet before. But it’s quickly tiring, one of the things I need to figure out is ways to jazz it up without so sugar and salt, much less fat and oil. There are ways, including more spices, onions, garlic and even a tad bit of oil to better make the flavor stick. The key is clearly creativity and mixing things up so I don’t get bored. I do miss the easy calories and taste of pasta with cheese but in my forties I know I can’t afford to keep doing things the old way especially if I want to be healthier, live a long life and do the outdoor adventures I enjoy.

My next challenge is figuring out what to eat while camping and backpacking that isn’t that calorie and sugar heavy crap I eat in my younger years. In some ways camping actually opens up more opportunities for advanced, more complicated meals as I have more time in camp. But I also loose access to my broiler in the oven and the freezer to keep things frozen, along with a greater desire to stuff crap in my mouth while sitting next to the fire in the evening.

I’m glad they indicted Donald Trump ⚖

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Too often the Criminal Justice system is reserved for the colored and the poor. While occasionally a low level politician will be indicted for a crime or even serve prison time for particularly egregious corruption it’s uncommon, and not because politicians are law abiding ethical people who aren’t often tied up with the underworld and shady corporations.

Law enforcement should focus more on public corruption and the ethics of public officials. They shouldn’t fear politicians, and they shouldn’t give politicians a pass in fear of looking political or partisan. Indeed, it should be the job of the opposing party in law enforcement – District Attorneys and police officers to keep politicians accountable. Criminals including politicians should fear the police and ultimately the justice system.

There are those who say justice shouldn’t be political. A jail cell is not the place for the criminal justice system to lock up political opponents. I agree, innocent people who didn’t break the law shouldn’t be indicted. But fear of being political shouldn’t give police a reason to fear criminals.

The use of the justice system to lock up political opponents is a problem when the court system is of one side, when the charges are dubious and not substantiated by the evidence. But when facts and reality are on the side of the people then the government should seek to bring the accused to justice.

The first amendment is a key right in America and is the right of political participation. But when you open your mouth, step out into the limelight and into the press, you are choosing to bring attention to yourself and that includes raising attention of law enforcement. If you are living a life of crime, then don’t run for political office. Be quiet, keep a low profile. But if you are honest, hardworking and a good person the risk of bringing yourself police attention is quite low as they’re isn’t much to bring attention about.

The key to avoid the abuse of police power and the justice system is not to never prosecute law breaking politicians. It’s to ensure competitive elections and that the justice system is fair to all involved. It’s to ensure that the courts and government agencies aren’t dominated by one party but investigate all politicians engaged in wrong doing.

Keep Privy Door Closed

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On Hunter Mountain, they want to keep the outhouse door closed to keep the raccoons out. This keeps them from eating holes where your supposed to be sitting.

Taken on Sunday April 5, 2009 at Overlook Mountain.

Cross Lake

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Cross Lake is basically a widening of the Seneca River as the river flows through the lower third of the lake.