I have a Zojirushi and it does everything according to a pre-set timer - which was magically determined after lots of testing, I'm sure. On the Zo you can override these pre-set selections and create your own. When you select a particular course, it's because of the bread type and/or yeast type used (active dry yeast or one of the fast-rising yeast products - SAF-Instant, Bread Machine Yeast, Rapid-Rise, or Quick-Rise). Bake time is also according to a timer. I bake in the oven according to the internal temperature of the loaf, not a timer. Bread is done at certain temperatures, and different temperatures for different types of breads. Bread machines are nortorious for over- and under-baking bread. Next time you bake in yours, take the loaf temperature with an instant read thermometer when it's done; and if it's over 200F for a basic loaf of bread, it's over-baked. Internal temperatures of 205°-210°F are best for free-form Artisan breads baked in really hot ovens, not sandwich bread. I like some breads best when they are baked to 195°F. You can also be deceived to the doneness of the bread because of the crust color. Bread is done to internal temperature, not crust color. Most machines will also let your choose your crust color (light, medium, dark). On a Zojirushi-V20: BASIC - This setting is for baking a basic bread using ACTIVE DRY YEAST and this course takes 3:30. BASIC WHEAT - This setting is for whole grain bread using active dry yeast and this course takes 3:40. QUICK - This setting is used for quickly baking a basic bread and you MUST use a FAST-RISING YEAST. This course takes 1:58. It only requires a short rising time because a fast-rising yeast product is used. (I also have a QUICK WHEAT setting.) Personally, I only let the bread machine do the grunt work of the mixing and kneading. I never leave the rise to a machine set on a timer. Dough rises according to the ambient air temperature, the humidity, and the strength of the yeast - NOT a timer. I can develop more flavor by a long, slow, cool rise outside the bread machine. I always remove the dough when the kneading is over and watch the rise in a dough-rising bucket myself. Because I use 100% freshly-milled wholegrain flour, it doesn't have the extensibility to go to "double", or over. If I used "double" as my standard, that is actually over-proofing the dough. Todays unbleached and bleached flours are no longer bromated and they don't have the extensibility they did when flour was bromated and "double" was the rising standard. If you allow dough to over-proof during bulk fermentation, you won't have the "umph" it needs for the oven-spring. I also like to use more methods of bread-making than direct (straight) dough (which is what the bread machine is designed to do). I also use the bread machine for a sponge method and sourdough method, and the pre-set times don't work for those methods, but the bread machine is EXCELLENT for kneading. Better than a stand mixer (which tends to aerate dough) or by hand. This is why the King Arthur Test Kitchens use the Zojirushi for making bread dough - instead of stand mixers or by hand. Sourdough takes much longer to rise than the pre-set times on a bread machine. I leave a sponge set for anywhere between 2-1/2 hours to 12-hours. These long methods develop a lot of flavor you can't get when using a Quick Cycle and get a loaf of bread, start-to-finish, in 1 or 2 hours (some machines in 45-minutes). I also follow other bread-making science that isn't part of a bread machine-style recipe. Such as when you add fat will determine the crumb of a loaf and can affect the rise of the loaf. Add fat early and it will have a shortening effect on the gluten and you'll get a close, almost cake-like crumb. Add fat late in the kneading and you'll get an open crumb and a higher rise. When salt is added early, it takes longer for the gluten to develop. Add the salt later and the gluten will develop quicker and better, but these facts fly-in-the-face of the convenience of dump-and run. I add both fat and salt according to what type of bread I'm making, not according to the loading instructions of the operating manual. -Grainlady

Well, if it wasn't a doctor or nutritionist who put you off beans, please do some more investigation. I saw a warning against black eyed peas, but most people I've read online seem to think that beans are okay for gout even though they have that chemical which I think starts with "p". I've never had chili with lima beans. Are those the dried ones? I can't imagine that fresh would survive a long cook. I love that kind of thing, though not so much the salt and butter. I don't use much of either. So I read something that said that potassium was good for gout, and that lima beans are good for potassium. Vitamin C is also supposed to help. Is the B12 helping with the fatigue? I recently got Bragg nutritional yeast to try because several here said it was great to use as a seasoning and it has added B vitamins. I'm going to try it in vegan snacks. Even though there's not enough sodium to earn a mention on the label, it has an almost salty taste, and also umami. Plus nutritional yeast is supposed to have complete proteins. Maybe something like that would be a good alternative to some of the salt?

I've used coconut flour a bit. Many of the coconut flour recipes I've seen use *a lot* of eggs. Not a problem for me but might be for others. The texture of the cupcakes I made was interesting - dense, but light. I need to do more experimenting, but it is a very expensive flour. Here is the *best* and easiest GF Bread recipe I have ever made. You would hardly know it is gluten free. Gluten Free Focaccia Ingredients: ● 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast ● 3/4 cup warm water ● 1 tsp sugar ● 1 cup brown rice flour ● 1/4 cup potato starch ● 1/4 cup tapioca flour ● 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum ● 1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder ● 1 tsp dried rosemary ● 1/2 tsp gluten-free onion powder ● 3/4 tsp salt ● 2 large eggs ● 2 Tbs olive oil ● 1/2 tsp cider vinegar ● ● Topping ● 1 tsp seasoning (Italian, herb, whatever) ● 1/4 tsp salt ● 1 TBs olive oil Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast into water and stir until dissolved. Set aside to foam, about 5 minutes. 3. Combine flours, xanthan gum, gelatin powder, rosemary, onion powder, and salt in a small mixer bowl. 4. Whisk eggs, olive oil and vinegar into the dissolved yeast and stir the mixture into the flour. 5. Beat dough with mixer for 2 minutes, using a spatula to keep stirring down the dough on the mixer beaters. The dough will be soft and sticky. 6. Transfer dough to an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch non-stick pan coated with cooking spray and cornmeal. (I usually line pan bottom with parchment) 7. Brush top with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and season as you wish (I use thyme) 8. Cover and let rise in warm place for 40 minutes. 9. Bake for 15 minutes. Yum! Off topic - my fab Candied Ginger Gluten-free cookie. Ingredients: * 1 cup Unsalted Butter, slightly softened * 3/4 cup Brown Sugar * 1/3 cup White Sugar * 2 Eggs * 1 tsp Vanilla * 1 cup Sorghum Flour * 1 cup Brown Rice flour * 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch/Flour * 1/2 cup Potato Starch * 1/2 tsp Baking Soda * 1 tsp Baking Powder * 1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum * 1/2 tsp Salt * 3/4 cup Flaked Coconut, unsweetened * 2 - 4 Tbs Coarsely Chopped Candied Ginger (I used 4), plus extra * 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries Directions: Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Mix the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum together with a whisk and set aside. Using an electric mixer beat the butter until soft, and add the sugars, blending well. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating each well. Add the vanilla and blend. Add the dry ingredients until just blended Add the coconut, ginger, and cranberries and mix until just blended, about 10 seconds. Spoon a full tablespoon of dough (or use scoop) and press into a 2" circle (about 1/4" thick). Sprinkle additional chopped ginger on top of each cookie, to taste. Bake approximately 17 minutes (top of cookies won't brown much) Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Shambo, on Amazon's home page--at the very top of the screen next to where it will say 'Shambo's Amazon.com', click on 'Today's Deals'. The first set of 'deals' will be the 'Gold Box Deal of the Day.' Just below the Gold Box Deal will be the Lightning Deals. There will be a bunch of these limited time deals...scroll across to see all the current ones and upcoming ones. They have a time limit on claiming the deal & completing the purchase. I think it's a couple of hours but you'll see that when you click on an item & add it to your cart. Another tip...when you get to the Lightning Deals, look over on the right hand side of the screen--Click on 'Sort by Category' to hone in on your area of interest (vs having to scan thru a bunch of junk you have zero interest in.) Yesterday, there were a bunch of small appliance deals (Zo, Panasonic, Cuisanart, etc.)--not so much today. :-( Anyway, happy hunting.