Re: NHS Sorted!

Won't happen. If the horrific films and goodness knows what else they attempted to educate the masses with about the dangers of smoking didn't work what hope has the same regarding food? I should think none at all.

Re: NHS Sorted!

I'm not so sure - if you have been as big as I was then you realise you have to do something about it, perhaps we just need to let people learn at their own pace - don't make fun and point at them but also don't enable them either. Make it possible for them to get help when they are ready.

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Eve started it with the apple - we've gone down hill ever since - I blame mothers - fat babies from fat mothers come!

Re: NHS Sorted!

I'm afraid you are ill-informed on this particular point Julie. Bread, and good healthy bread at that requires NO SUGAR to be added, none whatsoever. If you are struggling to make loaves without adding sugar then most likely one or more of your ingredients is sub-par or else it is your technique.

Bread requires ONLY flour, water, yeast and a little salt.

This is true for white loaves, wholegrain loaves, ciabattas, baguettes, sourdoughs and much much more.

In the bread making process, yeasts (and lactobacteria) feed on the sugars already present in the flour. This results in the production of carbon dioxide which is what provides the rise.

Refined sugar is poison. It should be outlawed. It displays all the main characteristics of a class A drug yet it remains legal. As with cigarettes this is because crooks are running the world at present so sugar and salt are pretty much forced into most foodstuffs whether people like it or not.

You have to make a conscious decision to not eat refined sugar, to not buy it and to replace it with healthier types of sugars like natural wildflower honey.

I would be happy to help you with any bread making issues you have if you still believe sugar is a required ingredient.

Re: NHS Sorted!

Well, I'm still of the opinion that people simply don't like being told how to live their lives. Advice will change, governments will come and go and if we're wise, we will try to live sensibly and not get obsessed with the latest fads in health.

I don't subscribe to the notion that refined sugar per se is the most evil thing in the world, only that it is very over-used in commercially produced foodstuffs.

Education (and not indoctrination) may sound like an answer, but reluctantly, I agree that it is unlikely to be effective on its own. Maybe healthcare will go the way of pensions and state benefits. We will have to make provision for our own wellbeing and so it will be sensible to look after ourselves and follow a healthy lifestyle.

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I learned to make bread at school the chemistry as well as the practical I am not struggling to make a loaf at all been doing it for over 40 years. The taste and texture is changed if you remove one of the ingredients. As for quality of ingredients I buy what I can afford my loaves work out less than 50p plus the electric to cook them. Honey is sugar when you are diabetic makes no difference whether it's grapes chocolate or honey all are on the no list. Actually my allergies mean I can only eat refined honey the raw product can kill me.

Re: NHS Sorted!

Originally Posted by Grumblewagon ->

Well, I'm still of the opinion that people simply don't like being told how to live their lives. Advice will change, governments will come and go and if we're wise, we will try to live sensibly and not get obsessed with the latest fads in health.

I have to agree with that. We all know what to eat and how to exercise, but its up to the individual to live their OWN life.

Now, I'm off for a lorn sausage sarnie for brekkie

Re: NHS Sorted!

Julie this recipe was given to us by a master baker and works well for me.

Mr Olley’s Bread Recipe

1 3/4 lb of the strongest flour you can get. (usually from a baker)
Half an oz of salt
2 teaspoons of olive oil
500mls tepid water
1 sachet of yeast.

Put in bread machine and set for dough.
When ready take out knock down and knead for three to five minutes.
Put into a 2lb bread tin
Allow to rise.
Put in pre heated oven (220 degrees centigrade) for 40 to 45 minutes.

Might be worth a try for you. One note of caution try to keep the salt away from the yeast in the initial prep. Salt kills yeast and therefore prevents the dough rising.

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Olive oil and sachets of yeast ? nope real live yeast and vegetable oil preferably sunflower. I make a very traditional English loaf not a modern twist on things. As for the flour we can't all afford bakers flour Tesco provides a cheap one we find works fine.

TBH I have been making our bread for so long I am not willing to change for anything, everyone loves my bread and even my husband will eat it. Got some pizza dour on the go at the moment using normal plain flour as I couldn't afford the strong flour this week and it will be fine.

Re: NHS Sorted!

Oh no Myra, not a Lorne sausage..... I've never cared for them myself.
Our daughters bought us a sausage maker at Christmas and we're getting to grips with making our own 'links' using pork from our own pigs. We can turn out a reasonable Pork, apple & onion (flavoured with cumin) sausage.

Busy morning, we're planting out the brassicas and covering them with mesh to fend off the pigeons. This afternoon we're planning to visit a 'mixed' farm as it's their open day, to see a bit of commercial food production.