Protective Diet Class #366

Philly Cabbage Steaks and Melt & Bake Cheeze

This class features a classic comfort food turned deeply protective using cabbage, melt-and-bake cheese, and simple techniques. Learn how to assemble a Philly-style cabbage steak sandwich that satisfies tradition while feeding beneficial microbial life within.

Announcements

• Engage in our official support group, Protective Diet Living (PDL). Join Live Chats & Coaching Hour for personal assistance.
• Shop http://www.protectivediet.com/bulk, the organic farm that delivers near you, for low-cost, high-quality PD staples.
• Comment below our “One Meal a Day” videos on YouTube. Let us know what you want to see us plate up as an example.

Vocabulary

Anticipation

OMAD—Day Fast

Dopamine

Resistant Starch

Microbiome

Action Steps to Plan Your Day for a Sandwich Feast

BEFORE – Early Preparation
Chicken-Less Noodle Soup Start chickpeas in the Instant Pot in the morning.30 minutes before dinner, add remaining ingredients and cook.	Bread Bake, cool, and slice bread earlier.Bread Maker Burger Buns are my favorite for this recipe, but a boule, or Breadmaker Whole Wheat Berry Bread also work.		Dessert Assemble ahead of time. We had organic, homegrown grapes for dessert, but you could prep a PD Bakery item or a Treats & Desserts recipe list item.
Condiments Quick-Mix KetchupPlant-based MayoBurger Pickles	Air-Fried Mushrooms (optional) Add a flavor-rich layer to your sandwich with this 15-minute recipe. Leftovers freeze well or can be added to meals all week.		Melt & Bake Cheeze (step 1) Remove soup from the Instant Pot and use a second liner pot.Complete the first step of this recipe. Stir it up and let it sit.
DURING – Mealtime Assembly
Clean As You Go Put compost scraps in the bucket.Follow the Touch it Once principle: clean each item as you go. Place it on a drying rack or dry it and put it away immediately.The goal is to have everything cleaned up before you sit down to eat, so you can just clean your plate and relax after dinner.	Cabbage Steak Slice it into a quarter-inch shred for the best texture.Toss with other ingredients in an extra Instant Pot liner that will also be used for the steam step of Melt & Bake Cheeze.Follow the Air Fryer or Conventional oven instructions on the recipe to achieve a meaty char.	Melt & Bake Cheeze (step 2) Pile cabbage on buns. Scoop and spread Melt & Bake Cheeze.Make sure cheeze is baked long enough to get spotted brown and firm on top. Otherwise, it will be gelatinous and less appealing.As an alternative, make Instant Cheeze Sauce, which mimics the cheese “whiz” traditionally served with a Philly Cheese Steak.
AFTER – Presentation
Tableside Condiments (optional) Probiotic Pickled OnionsProbiotic Pepper Sauce7-Day Sauerkraut“Dry Hot” (crushed red pepper)Yellow Mustard – additive-freeSliced Tomato	Plating—Build it Big Pile additional condiments on top of the two open-faced sandwich halves, then close the halves together into one monster sandwich. Serve with soup topped with fresh parsley.	Gratitude Verbally express your gratitude for this healing food and lifestyle as you enjoy your first bite.

Cooking and Lifestyle Tips

• Watch an overhead camera version of this recipe assembly on our YouTube channel here.
• PD recipes are always written with dry ingredients first, so you can use one set of measuring spoons.
• Get a second Instant Pot liner insert so you can make and remove one entrée and use the second for mixing or cooking a second meal component.
• Never use bagged cabbage for any of my recipes, especially this one. It won’t turn out right. It is dry, chemically treated, and shredded too thinly.
• Crush dried oregano before adding it to dishes to brighten the seasoning blend.
• Freeze extra garden tomatoes for future use in Pizza Sauce, Roasted Salsa, and Arrabbiata Pasta. They go directly from the freezer to the broiler or the Instant Pot in these recipes.
• Get familiar with making Cabbage Meat. It can be used in the Beauty Broth Hot Pot, Tacos, and more. Leftovers are part of the win. They are incredible in bowls, soups, and salads. Extra cheeze dresses up vegetables, pizza, or casseroles later.

Encouragement

• We are cutting food costs, improving our nutrition, and increasing health food satisfaction all around the table.
• Cabbage consumption increases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyric acid, which are beneficial for gut health and have anti-inflammatory properties. 
• If you’re new to high-fiber meals, dial it back at first. Keep adding vegetables over time. Your microbes will multiply and they will start asking for more. Your microbes will coach you every single day.

“I want to keep food history alive—but more than anything, I want to keep you well. We are preserving tradition while protecting the life within.”

Recommended Recipes
Philly Cabbage Steak	Melt & Bake Cheeze
Bread Maker Boule	Bread Maker Burger Buns
Air-Fried Mushrooms	Chickenless Noodle Soup
BBQ Cabbage Sandwich	Better Than Teriyaki Sauce
7-Day Sauerkraut	Protective Prebiotic Tonic
Instant Alfredo	Instant Pot Plant-Based Mushroom Marsala
Recommended Classes
#341 Pre-Gaming & Post-Gaming for Caloric Reduction
#355 Whole Wheat Berry Bread & Excess Skin Elimination
#319 Sip on Polyphenol Protection & Intro to Hydroponics
#323 Seed to Harvest Hydroponics featuring Eggless Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
#371 Reframe Your Perspective with Craveable Cabbage

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Summary

Julie Marie, Angela, Vicki, Jerry Christensen, Jennie, Michelle, and Christina participated in a detailed discussion about meal preparations, including specific recipes, kitchen gadgets, and food preservation techniques like freezing tomatoes. They also shared insights on garden bounty, pet behavior, and Prime Day sales. The main talking points focused on Lesson #366’s demonstration of a Philly Cabbage Steak and “Melt & Bake Cheese,” emphasizing incorporating vegetables and fiber, meal prep tips, bread making, and various health and wellness practices.

Details

• Meal Preparations and Kitchen Gadgets Julie Marie shared their dinner plans, including mushroom marsala and a Tuberonic Plus concentrate mixed with seltzer water. She also discussed freezing large quantities of garden tomatoes for future use in various dishes like pizza sauce and roasted salsa. Angela mentioned having about 10 bags of frozen tomatoes and discussed other frozen fruits they had. Julie Marie also discussed a new Kung Pow pineapple recipe they had made. Jerry Christensen shared they would be demonstrating a Philly Cabbage Steak sandwich and reviewing melt-and-bake cheese in their new kitchen.
• Garden Bounty and Community Sharing Jerry Christensen displayed seven buckets of tomatoes from Mac’s garden, noting that they exchange Tuberonic Plus for the tomatoes . They also mentioned that tonight was a harvest moon and expressed enjoyment of Mack’s friendship. Jerry Christensen thanked Jennie Echols for wood chips from a tree that was cut down, mentioning it would be used for a “wheelbarrow workout”.
• Pet Behavior and Filming Techniques Jerry Christensen explained that their dogs, Lucky and Cooper, have a specific bark language, with Cooper’s bark signaling Lucky to go outside. Due to the dogs’ barking, they decided to pre-film and edit this cooking class video to ensure higher quality without interruptions.
• Culinary Exploration: Philly Cabbage Steak Julie Marie discussed her research into traditional Philly cheese steaks, noting that common topping options include lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard, which surprised her. They also mentioned “the whiz” (cheese whiz) and “dry hot” (crushed red pepper flakes) as popular toppings. Julie Marie highlighted her preference for the new pan pizza recipe, despite her Chicago roots.
• Prime Day Sales and Product Recommendations Angela and Jerry Christensen discussed Prime Day sales, with Jerry Christensen sharing a Facebook list of “PD favorite” Amazon products, including the Breville oven and Instant Pot. Angela noted that the recommended vanilla bean powder was 25% off. Julie Marie shared that they now exclusively use vanilla powder instead of extract, except for royal icing, as it darkens the color.
• Recipe Discussions and Ingredient Pricing Michelle shared that they had mushroom marsala and a yogi bowl. Julie Marie discussed the high price of cacao nibs from Azure Standard and mentioned stocking up on nutritional yeast. They also discussed the “Instant Pot banana split oat bowl” recipe, which cooks in eight minutes and is served as a dessert.
• Kitchen Tour and Meal Preparation Process Julie Marie began her cooking demonstration of Lesson 366 in their newly remodeled kitchen, showing how they set up their prep area and compost bucket. They demonstrated preparing the cabbage by slicing it to a quarter-inch shred, noting that bagged cabbage should not be used for this recipe. Julie Marie explained that they use the Instant Pot as a large mixing bowl for the marinade, starting with dry ingredients.
• Seasoning and Toppings for Cabbage Steak Julie Marie detailed the seasonings for the cabbage, peppers, and onions, including tamari, granulated garlic, oregano, and black pepper. They showed how to mix the seasonings and cabbage, noting that the cabbage wilts and gives off liquid. Julie Marie mentioned various traditional Philly cheese steak toppings that can be replaced with protective recipes, such as quick mix ketchup, plant-based mayo, pickled hot peppers, and mustard.
• Cooking and Assembly of Philly Cabbage Steak Julie Marie explained that they cook the cabbage, peppers, and onions on a sheet pan in the Breville or conventional oven, close to the broiler, for 10 minutes to achieve a charred, meaty flavor. They also showed how to prepare the melt-and-bake cheese in a Pyrex measuring cup with tapioca starch and salt, emphasizing that it can be mixed with a spatula without an immersion blender. The cheese is then cooked in an Instant Pot for one minute on high pressure.
• Serving and Nutritional Benefits Julie Marie demonstrated layering the cooked cabbage on bread maker buns with the melted cheese and suggested adding air-fried mushrooms, which they highlighted as beneficial. She discussed how using cabbage instead of meat significantly increases the protective benefits of the meal due to its fiber content. Julie Marie also recommended an insert basket for the Instant Pot, noting its versatility for steaming vegetables and easy cheese removal.
• Mountain Baked Cheese Lesson #366 introduced a simple, three-ingredient “Melt & Bake Cheese” recipe, emphasizing its ease of preparation and versatility for dishes like pizza. They encouraged participants to share their successful experiences with the cheese, noting its contribution to a protective diet.
• Incorporating Vegetables and Fiber Lesson #366 highlighted the importance of incorporating a large amount of vegetables and fiber into one’s diet, explaining that beneficial digestive microbes will “demand” these high-fiber PD options. Julie specifically mentioned parsley as a significant ingredient in traditional German cooking and her personal diet.
• Meal Preparation and Leftovers Lesson #366 shared tips for meal preparation, including making “mountain baked cheese” an hour before dinner to allow it to thicken. Julie Marie also discussed creative ways to use leftovers, such as adding them to a “beauty broth veggie hot pot”.
• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches and Toppings Lesson #366 showcased the PD version of “cheese steak sandwiches,” inspired by Philly cheese steaks. Julie Marie discussed traditional toppings like oregano, salt, and pepper, and surprisingly suggested adding fresh toppings such as shredded lettuce and tomato, encouraging others to experiment and share their preferences.
• Tomato Preservation and Gardening In Lesson #366, Julie Marie provided a method for freezing garden tomatoes for later use in sauces, recommending charring them under a broiler when frozen. She also shared a heartwarming story about continuing to grow a specific tomato variety in memory of a friend’s brother, Dell, who originally cultivated them.
• Hydroponics and Lettuce Cultivation In Lesson #366, Julie Marie expressed her desire to resume growing iceberg lettuce hydroponically indoors, as they find it difficult to grow outdoors in the desert climate. She also mentioned that the current remodel has temporarily occupied their grow room, which has multiple functions.
• Fermented Foods and Pickles In Lesson #366, Julie Marie discussed the inclusion of various pickles, some fermented, with their meal. She also mentioned that sauerkraut, though not typical for a Philly cheese steak, is a common side dish in their home.
• Bread Making and Grain Milling In Lesson #366, Julie Marie emphasized the benefits of making their own bread, particularly using organic hard white wheat berry for a delicious and accessible whole-grain option. She strongly encouraged making the “bread maker loaf bread” and mentioned that blender milling whole wheat berries is a convenient method for those without a grain mill.
• Sourdough and Future Culinary Plans In Lesson #366, Julie Marie acknowledged the popularity of sourdough bread but noted that bakery sourdough often contains high salt levels due to the long proofing process. She expressed intentions to introduce sourdough baking in the future after participants are comfortable with dough handling, and also mentioned homemade pasta as a potential next step for those already milling their own wheat.
• Health and Wellness Practices In Lesson #366, Julie Marie mentioned her husband Jerry’s extended fasting for neural health and longevity along with her personal preference for 24-hour fasts. Christina shared her CrossFit and Wim Hof breathing routine for staying active and energized. Julie and Jerry also discussed their own exercise habits, including Jerry’s daily push-ups and Julie’s rebounding, and the challenges of staying motivated without company.

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Class Description:

This class features a classic comfort food turned deeply protective using cabbage, melt-and-bake cheese, and simple techniques. Learn how to assemble a Philly-style cabbage steak sandwich that satisfies tradition while feeding beneficial microbial life within.

Class URL: https://protectivediet.com/courses/protective-diet-education/lessons/lesson-366-philly-cabbage-steaks-and-melt-bake-cheeze/