Bread, baby. Bread.

noneentity

Hi,

I bougt a bread machine 25 years ago and still have and use it (well at least up until the time I started this diet ). I raised my two kids on machine made bread (two to three loaves a weeks) and they think that store bought wonder bread is a treat! I've gone through four bread pans and two mixer blades for the thing and got replacements from the mfg. Love my machine, love the bread (which is one of the reasons I am on a diet now! The other is beer!)


So, The answer is that I highly recommend it, it is easy to do, and it is very good.

The down side is that it goes moldy quickly (within 4 days); I used a tupperware type bread keeper; there may be better solutions... I just got into the routine of making bread on Sundays and Wednesdays.

I miss my bread!

Koldnomore

I usually just wrap mine in a clean towel until it cools enough to bag. Keeps it from getting too hard and still allows the heat to dissipate.

If anyone has a nice bread machine recipe with high protein but no 'chunks' (nuts, oats, seeds) I'd love to try it out. Personally I love seed breads but my OH absolutely refuses to eat them and I do not make separate meals to cater to anyone so we just have normal bread and I get the good stuff when we eat out

Thena81

we make our own ice cream, cheese, butter sometimes and r considering making fresh breads too! we r saving for a nice bread maker!

Bubsys_mom

If I made my own bread, I'd be trying to lose 300 pounds, not 70....

I friggin love bread. lol

hecham

I haven't bought a loaf a bread at the store in over a year. If you really want to get technical about the preservatives, you could find a source of fresh ground whole wheat. (Seriously, it's just not natural that store-bought flour should last on the shelf for so long). The taste of fresh ground flour is amazing. I make bread almost every weekend. I have a bread machine, but there's just something about making it by hand that is so rewarding. I like to play around with different recipes. Some turn out, some do not- bread can be finicky sometimes but stick with it. And good for you for taking this step to lessen the preservatives in your food.

CandiceLeeAnn

We started making our own bread last May and haven't looked back. We originally started making our own due to the price of a loaf of bread. My husband is a bread fanatic and we were spending way too much on bread! Now we make our own bread, rolls, sandwich buns, hamburger/hot dog buns, whatever we want to make. We know what's going into our bread and it's better for our family. If I'm only make a couple of loaves I use the dough cycle on the bread maker and then shape rise and bake them. If I need to make a bigger batch I do it all by hand and usually get 4 loaves and 12 sandwich buns. It can be quite a workout kneading the bread, that's for sure

hif123

I usually just wrap mine in a clean towel until it cools enough to bag. Keeps it from getting too hard and still allows the heat to dissipate.

If anyone has a nice bread machine recipe with high protein but no 'chunks' (nuts, oats, seeds) I'd love to try it out. Personally I love seed breads but my OH absolutely refuses to eat them and I do not make separate meals to cater to anyone so we just have normal bread and I get the good stuff when we eat out

If it's the chunks he doesn't like, you could try whizzing them up in a nut/spice grinder e.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powerful-Coffee-Grinder-Andrew-James/dp/B005TFQVY0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kh_4 .

JesterMFP

we make our own ice cream, cheese, butter sometimes and r considering making fresh breads too! we r saving for a nice bread maker!

It's really not hard to do without a bread machine. Why don't you give a few simple recipes a try by hand, and then if you decide you want a machine for convenience, go for it.

Ash_Diya

I use unbleached wheat flour, warm water, chia seeds (flax seeds if I have them), unprocessed wheat bran , salt and lime and yeast.

karenhray7

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned that it's the actual wheat that is the worst part of bread. Our modern wheat has been genetically modified (yeah, I said it) as in cross-bred and hybridized in order to increase yield/acre. Our modern wheat can (and does) bind to opiate receptors. You know that calm, happy feeling you get after you eat bread or pasta? That's your opiate receptors responding to the wheat. If you cut wheat out completely that nasty blood sugar-insulin cycle that causes you to crave more wheat, and sugar, stops. It's science people, plain and simple.

bumblebums

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned that it's the actual wheat that is the worst part of bread. Our modern wheat has been genetically modified (yeah, I said it) as in cross-bred and hybridized in order to increase yield/acre. Our modern wheat can (and does) bind to opiate receptors. You know that calm, happy feeling you get after you eat bread or pasta? That's your opiate receptors responding to the wheat. If you cut wheat out completely that nasty blood sugar-insulin cycle that causes you to crave more wheat, and sugar, stops. It's science people, plain and simple.

You are hilarious.

karenhray7

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned that it's the actual wheat that is the worst part of bread. Our modern wheat has been genetically modified (yeah, I said it) as in cross-bred and hybridized in order to increase yield/acre. Our modern wheat can (and does) bind to opiate receptors. You know that calm, happy feeling you get after you eat bread or pasta? That's your opiate receptors responding to the wheat. If you cut wheat out completely that nasty blood sugar-insulin cycle that causes you to crave more wheat, and sugar, stops. It's science people, plain and simple.

You are hilarious.

I'm well aware that I sound like a raving lunatic, but there is actual scientific evidence backing all this crazy up. I'd be more than happy to send you a reference list. Or you could check the following journals:
Theoretical Applied Genetics, specifically Jan 2009 and July 2010,
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Feb 2002,
British Medical Journal July 1973,
Journal of Biological Chemistry April 1979.

Bonny619

Here's my general rule with bread, because I tend to overindulge...I'll eat bread when I'm out but I don't buy it and keep it in the house. It totally works for me.

nicolemtracy

Baking bread is really fun for me and there is nothing like a slice of homemade bread, but you can also find bread at the store with less crap in it. Where I live there a quite a few local brands, most of which don't have additives, preservatives and things on the label that I can't pronounce. I buy those instead.

tripn404

Ezekiel Bread, Best bread for you...

These are my favorrriitee

FiveElevenClimb

My wife and I make our own bread. We do it just because we like fresh bread a lot more. It not that bad price wise but can take some time to make.

tifferz_91

I personally make my own breads:

❤ organic white french bread

❤ organic no knead white bread

❤ organic honey oat white bread


It saves me money & i know what's in them. I make 1 loaf per month.

I also make my own muffins, fettuccine pasta, & white flour tortillas.

I vacuum seal & freeze them.

Shesaid_destroy

I make my own bread, and i would recommend you do it too!

I use all organic products (except the dried yeast), i add bran, flax seeds or pumpkin seeds, and it turns out great everytime. No palm oil, no sugar, a quantity of salt which i choose. Worth it in my opinion.

The only very difficult thing for me in a ordinary oven is to not get the crust right. To get it right, you need to place your bread in the oven with a mist of vapor. The steam will 'crust' the bread. That's almost impossible to achieve in an ordinary oven. I've tried letting a pan heat and then pour water in real quick, i've tried vaporizing... Anyway, i never get a crust like at the baker's. But it is still very very much worth it.

Also, i do not knead by hand. I use one of the ustensils of the kenwood cooking chef robot. (Which by the way is my absolute best friend). I suppose the big kitchen aids would do a wonderful job as well. Therefore, it doesn't take that long. When the dough rises, i simply do something else. Usually something which needs to be cooked in the oven, since it will use it for bread, might as well use it while it is hot.

savithny

I'm kind of surprised that no one has mentioned that it's the actual wheat that is the worst part of bread. Our modern wheat has been genetically modified (yeah, I said it) as in cross-bred and hybridized in order to increase yield/acre. Our modern wheat can (and does) bind to opiate receptors. You know that calm, happy feeling you get after you eat bread or pasta? That's your opiate receptors responding to the wheat. If you cut wheat out completely that nasty blood sugar-insulin cycle that causes you to crave more wheat, and sugar, stops. It's science people, plain and simple.

Gotta jump on this.

it is NOT science, plain and simple.
There are NO genetically modified wheat strains commercially available. NONE of the wheat you buy in stores is GMO.

Further, every single domesticated plant you eat has been cross bred and hybridized, and so has every single domestic animal. Unless you are foraging wild plants and eating only fish and game you hunt, you are eating pretty much nothing but cross-bred, hybridized species.

As to the claim that "wheat binds to opioid receptors," I think this essay is a nice summary of several of the take-downs I've read: of the "Science" of "Wheat Belly." It's written by a woman who gave up wheat and had a positive expereince and STILL finds Davis's book to be full of specious arguments based on misrepresentations of scientific studies.

http://thecuriouscoconut.com/blog/is-wheat-addictive-like-heroin

FerretBuellerr

I LOVE making my own bread! And we don't use a bread-maker - all by hand baby! It's a nice arm workout too

I like it because it tastes MUCH better than anything store bought and without and additives/preservatives in it. Plus you can experiment and add different flavours to your own (I've been adding flax seeds into my dough, but you can do anything, really!) And I'm fairly certain it's lower in calories too, but that would also depend on how thick you slice it.

I don't think it's a waste of time at all either. I can't remember how much time it takes with a bread-maker (since I haven't had one since I lived with my parents) but it is an all day affair if you make it by hand (but then you can make a lot more at once rather than just one loaf in the machine - we make 4 loaves which lasts my boyfriend and I about 2 weeks). I just do my laundry while I wait for the bread to rise, and if gives you LOTS of time to pre-cook other meals for the week!

If you're interested in doing it, just do it!!

Francl27

If I made my own bread I'd probably eat the whole loaf in one sitting. So, I avoid, lol!

kenzietate

My mom makes her own bread completely from scratch. Even grinds the wheat, flax and whatever else she puts in it. She used to have really bad Rosacea and other health issues related to that. Since she started making her own bread her flair ups are non-existent! She feels so much better and now no one in my family eats store bought bread unless mom didn't have time to make it. Everyone prefers her bread! I definitely think it is worth making your own. It really isn't that hard. I used to make it by hand without even a bread maker all the time. It takes some prep work but other than mixing and kneading, it is really just waiting!

Loulady

I bake my own bread.

I really enjoy cooking and baking is a bit of a hobby, and making good bread is still enough of a pain in the butt that I only do it once or twice a month at most.

hookilau

So you know it and I know it. Once you even break the surface of basic awareness you realize pretty quicklike that the best way to have non-toxic, natural foods is just "Screw this. I'm making my own!" That's how you get the control back, right?

We've been debating in our home about making our own breads. Tried it? Is it worth it? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I used to before I became diabetic. It was well worth it to us when I devoted Sundays and Thursdays to making bread (we used a bread machine). Now, almost no one in the house eats bread, this includes my 17 yr old & 24 yr old....I used to buy it, but it would just rot :huh: Same thing with rice & pasta. I tried, believe me, but they just won't eat the stuff anymore & instead choose to pillage MY keto meals :frown: It's freeekin expensive, but, what's a mom to do? :laugh:

Now I just make enough for everyone, which has me cooking up to 3 x daily. pfft. Don't like that part much :blushing:

ETA: although we used a bread maker for sliced breads, I make roti the old fashioned way & the kids like that better. Really strange for American kids, but, whatever, this I still make :laugh:

jsd_135

Bump for good stuff below.

yes yes yes.

bread should be flour, water and yeast. salt for taste and sometimes oil. nothing else is required.

making your own bread will give you hours of delicious pleasure and you will not wish to eat store-bought again. It is NOT time-consuming - ten minutes to mix and knead the dough is all it takes of active care time. the tricky bit is planning ahead and timing it so it proves properly.

For me, I make a dough in the evening and let it do its first prove, then before bed I mould it into a loaf and put it in the fridge. In the morning I heat up the oven, throw it in and there is just enough time for me to eat fresh bread. Alternatively I do it the other way - make the dough in the morning, let it prove in the fridge, take it out, let it come to room temperature whilst at the gym, then shape and prove, then shove in the oven to cook before bed. It's there for breakfast, all delicious and if your oven goes hot enough, crunchy.

I recommend TheFresh loaf website for ideas and instructions on many breads, although they favour the Peter Reinhart method of kneading - I find that too time consuming (as in have to be in the house) so prefer Richard Bertinet's technique. His 'Dough' and 'Crust' books are excellent.

then go one step further and make a sourdough mother. a sourdough loaf keeps for ages and is beautifully chewy. Sure it takes a few more days to make but what the hell. and it really is easy to make the starter - a bit of flour, a bit of water, time.

I don't favour bread machines. Use them to make a dough by all means, but I find them too dense and a little flavourless.

Making bread is easy, but it's all in the timing.

maillemaker

I don't think there is anything particularly "toxic" in store-bought bread. Sure, it may have preservatives in it, but they probably aren't particularly bad for you to eat, and won't have anything to do with weight loss.

There are two potential problems with eating bread:

First, eating bread, particularly fresh-baked bready goodness, can be a real willpower problem leading to over-consumption. I don't know about you, but I can and have eaten fresh break like cake. One slice of whole wheat bread can contain over 100 calories. It doesn't take much bread to consume a good chunk of your daily calorie allotment.

If you can control yourself to only eat a slice or two, and you can live with squandering 200 precious calories on a few mouthfuls of food, go for it!

The second problem with bread is that it is, of course, a carb-rich food. This means it will get converted to fuel by your body pretty quickly with the resultant spike and crash in blood sugar levels, which can lead to feeling hungry very soon after eating it.

So eating bread can be a double-whammy on your willpower. You have to have the willpower to control how much of the delicious goodness you indulge in and you have to have the willpower to deal with the hunger that may come after eating it.

savithny

Homemade bread, to me, sort of falls into Michael Pollan's tip in "Food Rules" -- he says "Eat all the junk food you want as long as you make it yourself."

(Note to those who are going to quibble: Its a book of possible rules you can select from to move towards eating better; it's not an absolute proscription OR unfettered permission to eat badly).

If you're making it yourself for specific purposes (bread for sandwiches for lunch, toast to go with your eggs for breakfast, etc) -- we don't squander our homemade bread because we know we need to make sandwiches for lunchboxes the next day and it would be so much work to make more. It helps keep consumption planned and regular.