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A Little Jar Full of Possibility
There are a handful of recipes in my kitchen that have earned permanent residency in the pantry.
This homemade bouillon mix is one of them.
It takes only a few minutes to stir together, stores beautifully in an 8-ounce jar, and becomes the starting point for everything from soups and gravies to rice, roasted vegetables, and a warm mug of broth on a day when someone needs a little extra comfort.
As a gluten-free family, I’ve learned to pay attention to ingredients many people never think twice about. Store-bought bouillon cubes and powders often contain unnecessary fillers, hidden gluten, artificial flavors, or ingredients that simply don’t fit the way we choose to cook.
Making my own means I know exactly what’s in it.
Just as importantly, I know all the ways I can use it.
In the Treehouse, you’ll hear me say that my favorite ingredient is possibility.
This little jar is full of it.
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Nicole’s Note
I think of recipes like this as gifts to my future self.
When dinner needs to happen quickly, I don’t want to measure garlic, onion, herbs, salt, and spices every single time. I want to reach into the cupboard, scoop once, and keep cooking.
This mix saves time, reduces decision fatigue, and quietly makes everyday meals taste just a little better.
That’s exactly the kind of pantry staple I want to keep around my gluten free, and Trim Healthy Pantry…Also known as my Kitchen Apothecary.
One Last Treehouse Tip
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received came from my very first birth provider.
“Don’t eat anything you’ll regret experiencing twice.”
I’ve never forgotten it when my own stomach is uneasy, but especially with my kids and husband. And, it has made me aware of what to keep around for gentle food and drink options.
Whether it’s morning sickness, a stomach bug, or just a season when your digestive system needs a little kindness, gentle foods matter.
This bouillon mix won’t solve everything. But it does make one comforting option as simple as adding hot water.
Sometimes that’s exactly what we need.
And that’s why this little jar has earned a permanent place in my Kitchen Apothecary.
Not because it’s complicated.
Because it’s useful.
Because it’s dependable.
Because, like so many of my favorite pantry staples, it’s full of possibility.
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Homemade Bouillon Mix
Serves: Fills one 8-ounce jar
Fuel Flow Role: Flavor Foundation
Primary Purpose: Adds flavor and depth with minimal impact on the meal’s Fuel designation. Supports Fat-Forward, Carb-Forward, Neutral Fuel, and Dual Fuel meals.
Ingredients:
¾ cup nutritional yeast(we love the non-fortified varieties from here, and here)
3 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
¾ teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons dried parsley
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
6 teaspoons mineral salt
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to a bowl.
2. Stir until evenly combined. Blend until fine in a grinder or blender (optional).
3. Transfer to a clean, dry 8-ounce jar.
4. Store tightly sealed in a cool, dry pantry.
The flavor continues to develop after a day or two as everything settles together.
Storage:
Store tightly sealed in a cool, dry pantry.
For the best flavor, use within 6–12 months and always use a clean, dry spoon when measuring.
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How I Use It
For a basic broth, begin with:
1 teaspoon bouillon mix per 1 cup of hot water.
From there, taste and adjust to fit your recipe.
This mix is wonderful in:
Soups and stews
Rice and cauliflower rice
Beans and lentils
Slow cooker meals…2 cookers is goals in this large family.
Electric Pressure Cooker recipes
Gravy
Roasted vegetables
Mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower
Ground meat while browning
Just Like Grandma’s Stuffing
Dry seasoning blends
Sometimes I simply stir it into hot water and sip it from a mug.
Beef-Style Broth:
When I want a richer, beef-style broth, I don’t make a separate bouillon mix.
Instead, for each cup of broth, I add:
1 teaspoon Homemade Bouillon Mix
About 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or more to taste)
A splash of liquid aminos
Together they create a deeper, richer broth that’s wonderful for soups, stews, pot roast, gravy, and everyday cooking.
Give It a Vegetable Boost:
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to customize.
If I want a little extra vegetable flavor, I’ll stir in about ¼ teaspoon of one or more pantry ingredients such as:
Beetroot powder
Sweet potato powder (adds body, color and slight thickness)
Greens powder or Nori Flakes
Extra onion powder
Minced or granulated onion
Minced or granulated garlic
Turmeric
Celery seed or celery powder
Paprika
Pumpkin Powder (Adds Color and flavor)
Mix and match according to the meal you’re making.
There isn’t one perfect combination.
That’s the point.
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More Than Just Broth
Most people think of bouillon as something you cook with.
I also think of it as something you can simply enjoy.
A warm mug of broth can be incredibly comforting on a cold afternoon or during seasons when someone in the house isn’t feeling their best.
If I want a little more nourishment, I’ll stir in a spoonful of collagen peptides or You can get Optimized Collagen. You can add a variety of gelatins(marine, and Beef) or 1/4 teaspoon agar agar to keep it vegetarian(This will need to be heated until boiling in a pan to activate the thickening properties).
If I need something a little more substantial, I’ll add diced cooked chicken for a simple, soothing meal.
When our family is under the weather, this broth often becomes part of what we jokingly call our BRABO approach to gentle foods—a gluten-free adaptation of the traditional “BRAT” diet. I’ll share more about that in another post, but this little jar is one of the reasons we’re able to pull those comforting meals together so quickly.
Why I Always Keep a Jar in the Pantry
This isn’t meant to replace homemade bone broth.
I still love making traditional broth whenever I have the time and ingredients.
Instead, I think of this as its dependable pantry companion. It’s there for the weeks I haven’t made bone broth.
For holiday cooking marathons when every container in the freezer has already been spoken for.
For the occasional “sick-pocalypse,” when illness works its way through the family one person at a time and the last thing I want to discover is that we’ve run out of broth.
It’s shelf-stable. It’s ready when I need it. It’s a flavor enhancer.
A spoonful can make soup taste like it simmered longer, rice taste richer, vegetables more satisfying, and everyday meals feel just a little more complete.
Sometimes the smallest jars become the hardest-working ingredients in the pantry.
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“The Yellow Rice”
One of my favorite memories tied to this recipe comes from my oldest son.
When he was little, I would stir a spoonful of this mix into the cooking water every time I made rice.
The turmeric gave it a beautiful golden color, and the herbs transformed an ordinary pot of rice into something special.
He didn’t call it seasoned rice. Honestly, you can use any rice, but we happened to use white rice or brown rice most of the time so the color of the mix shines through.
He called it “the yellow rice.”
Whenever I asked what he wanted with dinner, his answer was almost always the same.
“Can we have the yellow rice?”
I still smile every time I make it.
Because recipes aren’t just about feeding people. They’re about creating the foods your family asks for by name.
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Fuel Flow Notes
This bouillon mix is considered a supporting ingredient in Fuel Flow rather than a primary fuel source. The small amount typically used in recipes contributes flavor far more than it contributes macronutrients.
Use it freely to enhance:
Fat-Forward meals like creamy soups, roasted vegetables, and skillet dishes.
Carb-Forward meals such as rice, beans, potatoes, and vegetable soups.
Neutral Fuel foods including chicken breast, turkey, seafood, and non-starchy vegetables.
Dual Fuel recipes where it helps tie all the flavors together.
Rather than changing the Fuel designation of a meal, this blend supports the foods already on your plate.
One of my favorite Fuel Flow principles is making whole-food cooking easier. Keeping a jar of homemade bouillon on hand helps transform simple ingredients into satisfying meals without adding unnecessary fillers or relying on highly processed convenience products.
As always…Safe, NOT Sorry regarding ingredients and manufacturing. That’s the Treehouse Standard.
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Nicole Burch is a Trim Healthy Lifestyle Coach, author, and holistic family life mentor helping women and families rebuild through rooted rhythms, personal governance, and sustainable living. Blending nourishment, discernment, and restoration, she guides others toward resilience, peace, and healing—creating lives that are grounded, aligned, and nurtured at home.
Wellness That Withstands.
Rooted. Resilient. Restored.
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Trim Healthy Coach Disclaimer
Nicole Burch is a Certified Trim Healthy Mama Lifestyle Coach, independently offering services based on the THM plan. This coach is not an employee or agent of Trim Healthy Mama, LLC. Coaching services are independently managed, and THM is not responsible for results, business practices, or claims made by this coach.
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