Breadmaker's anyone?

  • My bosslady gave me her awesome breadmaker! Recently I have been making a lot more things out of scratch, and as soon as I figured out I could make our own bread and pasta, I was all to be able to do it. This morning my bosslady gave me her's along with a book to go with it. I cleaned it out and have a pretty good sounding recipe for honey wheat bread!

    For those out there who also have or currently do make your own bread, what are some of the healthiest types of bread to make?
  • I make bread a couple times a week. However, I don't eat it! My kids eat the white (and my MIL) and my husband eats the whole wheat. I have found that I don't tolerate grains/simple sugars well and that includes bread. I would just rather spend my calories elsewhere anyway.

    With that said, however, basically, the more nutty, seedy, whole grainy it is, the healthier it is. But also, machines don't like to knead those as well. And, it takes practice to get heavy/dense doughs to turn out right, but you can do it, for sure.

    Just a little tip though to save some $. Buy yeast in bulk. You can refrigerate part of it if you don't go through it so fast. I just bought 32 oz. freeze packed package today for $9.99. While at the regular grocery store those little jars that hold 4 ozs are over $6. Not worth it if you don't bake frequently, but a HUGE cost savings if you do.
  • Thank you for the advice! I saw a few recipes for nutty and super grainy breads so I will have to give those a shot! As far as the yeast that is really, really good to know! I bought the dry packets this time, so if it turns out to be a success and something I would be making often I will definitely have to get my hands on the jars instead!
  • Quote: I bought the dry packets this time, so if it turns out to be a success and something I would be making often I will definitely have to get my hands on the jars instead!
    The jars are $6 plus for 4 ounces. There are health food stores that sell yeast in freeze dry packs, or even better, if you can find it, in the bulk bins so that you only would have to buy the amount you need. I used to get that at Whole Foods, but they stopped carrying it in bulk bins at the stores I use, so now I buy the freeze packed bags.

    BUT, I make a lot of bread. I make about 4-5 loaves a week.
  • Depending on your tolerance of wheat and sugar, most homemade bread is pretty healthy so long as you're mindful of portions! I don't have a breadmaker but my husband and I bake bread once a week and 1 loaf lasts us the entire week. 1 slice here, 1 slice there...

    I have no idea how it would work in a breadmaker but there are quite a few recipes out there for super long rise breads that don't use sugar to feed the yeast. There's sugar in flour already and if you leave it long enough the yeast will eat that to grow. It's actually much more flavourful! I'd stay away from foccacia bread as it requires loads of olive oil (if made properly) so it'll up your calories per slice (that being said, I will still make it and enjoy it but less often than french bread or ciabatta).

    Experiment and have fun! I'm sure whatever you make will taste wonderful. Just be mindful of portions!
  • We have a Breadmaker - I asked my Husband to bring it up from the basement last week....now we have to find the book that goes with it ,but we have bought the flour and the yeast ...the hubby is the Breadmaker in the family.
    He also bakes bread in the regular oven. There is something about the aroma of bread baking in the house...I can't eat it but am very much looking forward to the first Loaf
    Roo2