I gave up on using bouillon cubes a long, long time ago. Full of dyes, preservatives, added MSG, sodium and who knows what else, it just wasn't worth it. Whenever I come across a recipe that calls for a bouillon cube, I just take the more difficult route of guessing what spices are the most critical and put those in separately.
Thanks to BOU the "Better for You Cubes," taking the hard way to ensure my family gets the healthiest ingredients and none of the bad stuff, is over! Finally, after 30 years of stagnation in the bouillion industry, BOU is leading the way in innovation, making their cubes in the USA with all-natural, non-GMO ingredients. Their cubes have 30% less salt than the leading brand too!
I know I'm not the only one who is excited about this. At a recent event, I was handing out free samples of BOU cubes to local mamas, and so many were thrilled to finally see a healthier version of this kitchen staple.
I have made two recipes with BOU cubes so far. Both were delicious!
Switch up your summer grilling routine with Five Ingredient Burger Sauce
(original recipe by @theburgeratti)
Ingredients:
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 BOU Beef Flavored or Veggie Bouillon Cubes
Directions:
1. Combine 1/3 cup boiling water with BOU Bouillon Cube (less for thicker sauce, more for a thinner sauce).
2. Mix 4 parts mayonnaise to 1 part ketchup and 1 part mustard.
3. Add BOU mixture and whisk until blended.
4. Spread over a Burger and enjoy the adoration of your guests.
Mac Kid's Helpful Hints:
Consistency tip: If you need a big batch of sauce, using 1 cup mayo, 1/4 cup ketchup and 1/4 cup mustard with the bouillion mixture makes a good consistency. If you just need a little, cut the water way down or your sauce will be too runny. That's what happened to us, so we just dubbed it "hamburger dipping sauce," and put it in a bowl. Still delicious!
Picky kids tip: If you have kids that aren't fans of spicy foods or sauces, skip the mustard. Our guys thought the original recipe was too spicy for them.
Creamy Chicken and Shrimp Linguine
(The following is an adapted recipe personalized to suit our family's tastes. The orginal version can be found HERE).
Ingredients:
- 8 oz linguini
- 1 package bacon
- 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1-2 chicken breast, cut into bite sized cubes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 Chicken BOU cube
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, cook the pasta according to box directions.
2. Start package of bacon cooking by your preferred method. We like to bake it at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes on a foil lined pan so we don't have to watch it.
3. Heat a large sauté pan with sides to medium high heat. Add just enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. When the pan is ready, add shrimp to pan along with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Sauté the shrimp for about 2 minutes, until seared on both sides. Remove shrimp from pan and place in the bowl.
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then saute on medium-high heat until done. Remove from pan to bowl with shrimp.
5. Reduce the heat to medium, add garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
6. Add wine and BOU cube to the pan and whisk until the cube has dissolved. Once the liquid comes to a boil, let it reduce for about 1-2 minutes, until it has almost fully evaporated.
7. Add the peas, coconut milk and red pepper flakes (or save these to add later) to the pan and give it a good stir. Bring it a boil then reduce heat to medium. Allow the liquid to thicken a bit, stirring occasionally, for about 2-3 minutes.
8. When the bacon is done, chop and set aside.
9. By now your pasta should be cooked and drained. Using tongs, add the pasta directly to the pan. Add the shrimp, chicken and bacon. Toss well to combine then simmer on low heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything has cooked through.
10. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Both guys really liked this recipe and gobbled up their entire bowls. Cole said "this one's a keeper Mom!"
These are just two ideas for how to enjoy BOU cubes. As you can see, you can use BOU cubes for much more than just soups and bases. They can be added to practically any dish for added flavor. Add them into rice, quinoa, or any slow cooker recipe. You can even make Bloody Mary’s with them! I definitely want to try that recipe soon! Find tons of recipes on the BOU website HERE.
Next on my list of products to try from BOU are the gravy cubes. Delicious, healthy gravy in minutes? Yes, please! I LOVE gravy, but am horrible making it, so yay for BOU.
Follow BOU on Facebook and Instagram. BOU products can be purchased directly from the company website, or found at local stores like Whole Foods and Organic Harvest.
Disclosure: Thank you to BOU for sponsoring Macaroni Kid and sending us products to facilitate the writing of this review!
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