Lesson #368 | Baking Bodacious Boules Without A Bread Maker

Summary

Julie Marie introduced a revised boule recipe, removing yogurt and slightly reducing water to maintain high hydration, which Angela and other participants were encouraged to adopt; Julie Marie also offered advice to Vicki regarding dry skin issues with the facial cleanser, suggesting better rinsing and diluting the soap. Lesson #368 presented the “Bodacious Bakery Boule” lesson, detailing the new yogurt-free recipe—demonstrating both hand-mixing and bread maker methods, and explaining proofing and baking techniques using a Dutch oven and Instant Pot. The PD-Ed Lesson also included a discussion about meal preparations, warm weather, and technical difficulties, with Kathy assisting with a solution for pinning the camera view, and concluding with a conversation between Jerry Christensen, Julie Marie and Kathy about generational labels, diet, and modified fasting for kidney health.

Details

• New Boule Recipe and Shortage Preparedness Julie Marie introduced the revised boule recipe, noting that she removed the yogurt and adjusted the water slightly to keep hydration high. This change results in a loaf that slices beautifully and cuts the cost of soy milk, also providing a recipe without yogurt in case of a shortage. Angela mentioned having made the older yogurt version of the boule earlier that day, prompting Julie Marie to jokingly ask her to “get with the program” regarding the new recipe.
• Dinner Discussions and Meal Preparation Attendees discussed their recent meals, with Angela having made cream of potato soup and the boule. Julie Marie shared that she and Jerry are “hooked” on the new chow down chowder and have an abundance of potatoes, mentioning that her brother is visiting Saturday, so they plan to make many potato, bread, and pie dishes. Michelle reported picking the last of her tomatoes and making the tomato ricotta pasta, calling it her “new favorite pasta.”
• Warm Weather and Pizza Preparation Jerry Christensen remarked on the unusually warm weather, noting it has been the warmest in recorded history for November. Julie Marie shared that they were making pan pizza that evening, using roasted cocktail tomatoes with oregano and salt for the sauce. This pan pizza recipe, which has a puffy crust, is still being perfected.
• Addressing Dry Skin Concerns for Vicki Julie Marie addressed Vicki’s prior concern about dry skin when using the facial cleanser, suggesting that Vicki might be using too much soap or not rinsing thoroughly. Julie Marie advised diluting the castile soap with water to lather and emphasized the importance of rinsing the strong soap off completely before applying carrier oils. She also clarified that frankincense oil, which is known for its healing properties, is not hydrating; hydration comes from the carrier oils like Jojoba or castor oil.
• Soap Dilution and Application Technique Vicki confirmed that she has been rinsing thoroughly and using less than the recommended amount of soap. Vicki asked if diluting the soap in the bottle would be beneficial, to which Julie Marie responded that it could be done, but it might spoil because adding water necessitates adding preservatives, which Julie Marie avoided in the original product. Julie Marie advised using a pea-sized amount on wet hands and lathering it under running faucet water for a quick wash and rinse.
• Kitchen Renovation and Appreciation Julie Marie discussed their new, brightly lit kitchen, contrasting it with their “ugly kitchen” from the previous four and a half years. Michelle offered encouragement, reminding Julie Marie that in the “ugly kitchen” they still “helped a lot of us and… fed a lot of us and… taught a lot of us.”
• Generational Labels Discussion Following a discussion about technical support, Julie Marie humorously referred to Jerry Christensen as her “millennial” IT guy, which prompted Kathy to share her own generational classification as a “boomer”. Other generational terms discussed included Gen Xer and the “greatest generation,” referencing the World War II generation.
• Bodacious Bakery Boule Lesson Overview Lesson #368 officially started by highlighting the recipe’s revolution by removing yogurt to make it more slicable and reduce costs to a $2 loaf. The ingredients for the entire loaf now weigh in at only 2,200 calories. The new recipe’s dough will not work for a full-cycle bake in a bread maker, but the bread maker can be used for kneading and mixing on the dough setting.
• Hand Mixing vs. Bread Maker Method Lesson #368 demonstrated both the hand-mixing and the bread maker methods for preparing the boule dough. Julie Marie emphasized the importance of precisely weighing the ingredients. The blender milling process, is a quick shortcut compared to a traditional grain mill, but requires a dry blender.
• Using the Bread Maker and Kneading The bread maker’s dough setting takes an hour and a half for kneading and mixing, providing a time block for other activities. Lesson #368 suggested setting a timer for three minutes for those who choose to hand-knead the dough, describing it as a “pleasurable experience.” Julie Marie mentioned that they will cover sourdough in the future but for now, they are focusing on mastering shaping a boule first.
• Yeast Incubation and Dough Preparation Lesson #368 detailed the process of activating yeast for bread dough using an Instant Pot on the yogurt setting for an hour, noting this setting is perfect for incubating yeast and promoting fermentation. Julie Marie mentioned that using a bread maker would extend this time to an hour and a half and shared a technique for easy clean-up of the counter using wet hands before wiping down surfaces with a vinegar and water solution. Julie Marie also emphasized the cost-effectiveness and superior nutrition of using fresh-milled organic whole hard white wheat berries over buying flour.
• Proofing and Baking Setup Julie Marie explained that proofing the dough in the Instant Pot is a time shortcut, despite requiring more manual labor than using a bread maker . Once the dough has doubled in size, which took one hour in the Instant Pot, she instructed that the Dutch oven should be placed in the oven empty with the lid on, preheating at 480°. Lesson #368 mentioned using a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven in their Brevel Smart Air Pro, with the rack set on the bottom rung to ensure it fits.
• Dough Shaping Technique Lesson #368 demonstrated the stretching and folding technique for the dough, recommending wetting one’s fingers slightly to prevent sticking and aid in clean-up. The goal of this process is to transform the wet dough into a tight, ball-like shape, building internal bubbles for texture. The final shaping step involves tucking and turning the dough to create a tight top, and Julie Marie recommended dusting the dough with flour to make it feel like a powdered baby’s bottom.
• Scoring and Baking the Loaf Julie Marie stressed that the loaf should only be scored once the oven is preheated to avoid deflating the dough, which is essential for achieving good oven spring. Lesson #368 demonstrated her signature swirl score, using a bread lame (razor).
• Second Loaf and Clean Up Julie Marie then processed the dough from the bread maker, noting its unassisted mixing and fermentation. She offered tips to prevent lumpy dough if not whisked well, though she affirmed the loaf would still be nutritious. Julie Marie shared that they repurpose the parchment paper but advised that it should be trimmed to prevent it from igniting in a hot oven, a past incident they mentioned. She emphasized the importance of cleaning as she goes, demonstrating a unique technique of wetting the countertop with Protective Diet All-Purpose spray cleaner to dissolve the flour.
• Slicing and Bread Use Julie Marie revealed the first baked loaf after 30 minutes, calling it a “beautiful boule,” and noted the importance of letting the loaf cool completely for perfect, thin slices, especially when using a serrated knife. She then excitedly showcased a new, sharp bread slicer, capable of slicing warm bread very thinly and mentioned that Jerry Christensen, her husband, prefers slices to be 0.6 inch thick, ideal for the French toast recipe.
• Nutritional Value and Dietary Approach Julie Marie celebrated her 100% whole grain loaf, stating it is “unheard of” and cannot be purchased anywhere, positioning it as highly beneficial for health. She discussed using the bread for various recipes like Philly Cabbage Steaks and barbecued cabbage sandwiches. She also detailed her personal success with weight loss—going from a size 22 to a loose size two—by eating a single, substantial meal a day on a Protective Diet, even consuming their homemade bread . This one-meal-a-day approach is credited with regulating mood and offering significant health benefits, especially for reversing heart disease and diabetes.
• Post-Meeting Discussion and Background Following the main presentation, Jerry Christensen Julie Marie had a brief discussion with Kathy, who mentioned that she was introduced to the Protective Diet Community through Chef AJ, specifically relating to their past brand, “Plant Purity.” Kathy praised the amount of work and research that Julie Marie puts into the recipes and descriptive notes, noting that she shares the information with her spouse. Julie Marie shared that her husband, Jerry Christensen, adopted a strict vegan, oil-free diet after watching the pre-screening of “Forks Over Knives,” where he held her hand and said, “Thank you for saving my life.”
• Fasting and Kidney Health Kathy shared that they practice a modified fasting schedule, eating twice a day (noon and 5 PM) instead of one meal a day, due to a kidney disease that requires her to monitor dangerously low sodium levels. Julie Marie affirmed that Kathy’s modification is important to accommodate her health issues and praised her for having had animal products out of her diet for approximately 14 years, which provides an advantage for her kidney health. Julie Marie expressed astonishment that people on dialysis continue to eat animal products, noting it goes against what doctors recommend.

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Class Description:

Lesson #368 | Baking Bodacious Boules Without A Bread Maker

Class URL: https://protectivediet.com/courses/protective-diet-education/lessons/lesson-368-baking-bodacious-boules-without-a-bread-maker/