Vegan Cooking & Cookbooks discussion

Does anyone here use a bread-maker? I'm thinking about getting one as I'm on a gluten-free diet and I've heard gluten-free breads are much better when they're homemade (as in, they're actually edible and don't have the consistency of a kitchen sponge). How easy are they to use? I've got a chronic illness and I tire easily, so I'm hoping they involve very little physical labour.

I have a bread-maker. I haven't used it in years, but for many years it got heavy use. I made vegan breads, but none were gluten free.

I can attest though that there are great bread making recipes, and with my machine you just put everything in, sometimes putting in ingredients twice vs. once, and then the maker did it's thing. Very, very easy, and you get the great bread baking odor the way you do with oven baked breads. I highly recommend getting one.

It would be good if you could taste some homemade machine made gluten free bread from someone else's machine before you spring for one of your own, just to make sure you like the bread.

The good machines aren't cheap. You'll want to know you can get use out of it.

I have a Breville Bread Maker that I use most ever Sunday (lately, I've been packing to move, so haven't used it in about a month). I just love it. I haven't tried gluten-free recipes, but I do make vegan breads. I'll be in temporary housing for awhile, and I'll take it, my Vit-a-mix, and Cuisinart with me; can't live without them.

FYI, I had a bread maker years and years ago and I can tell you they've made tons of improvements.

Thank you both for the info. Lisa, I have a friend who has a bread maker so I might take your suggestion and see if I can test out some GF bread in their machine :)

Just tried a GF bread two days ago (inspired by this thread). The bread was a failure in rising and was too crispy; however, the taste was good. I didn't use one of the GF recipes that came with the machine. I haven't had one of the the regular ones fail me yet.

Good luck, Briar Rose.

Thanks for the feedback, Lisa Kay.

Briar Rose, yes it probably would be good to try out a recipe or two on a borrowed machine before you buy one. There might be a cookbook for gluten free vegan breads by now, including one that can be made in a bread machine.

Thanks, Don. Good points. A shame about the book.

Oh, there are bread recipes for bread machines that don't use the kneading cycle. You can make tea breads and cakes and all sorts of things.

You're definitely a good cook, Don. Baking can be tricky and I assume that's even more true for gluten free baking. The gluten free breads I've tried haven't wowed me, though I like many other gluten free grains and crackers, etc. etc. I've only tried a very few breads. If I needed to eat gluten free I'm sure I'd trying harder to find breads and bread recipes that I did like. (I've actually considered trying gluten free to see if it would improve the inflammatory arthritis I have. Might be a better choice than the drug I've been on for a few month.

Don, I do remember. Thanks for that report. Yes, it's probably worth a try. I'm not sure how long to give it. I assume 3 months is probably enough. My issue is that I'm not always symptomatic but the joints continue to destroy themselves, whether or not I have pain or swelling. I guess it couldn't hurt though. I'd miss my whole grain bread and I'd have to be careful in restaurants and with labels (though gluten free and vegan are now often both mentioned.) I'm not sure when I am willing to do it though. Perhaps mid-May for 3 months? I'm considering it. I guess I don't think it would help, but you never know.

Don, We have places here too. We have a few places that are 100% vegan and 100% gluten free and many others that are vegan with gluten free options. And a few of the convenience foods I buy are gluten free as well as vegan. I'd miss my whole grain bread a bit and and few other things, but mostly it's just having to pay such attention again and making a change. I went vegan so long ago (27 years) that it's been ages since I've had to change my diet in a major way. I went vegan for the animals. I couldn't have done it for health only or even environment only, so doing the gluten free thing for myself is harder. I might try it though.

I do not own a bread maker. Rather I cook my bread (vegan) in my oven. It tastes perfect!