Tattooed Chef Vegan and Gluten-Free Bowls

If you’ve been to a restaurant or watched tv cooking shows, you’ve noticed that there is a large tattoo culture among chefs. Maybe it’s because tattoo artists and chefs enjoy creating things. Many chefs say it is a passion and commitment to their craft. You must admit, though, tattoos are a very permanent symbol of their love of cooking.  

Or as Isaac Fitzgerald, author of Knives and Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos, puts it, “One way to stay committed to your art is to take a leap of faith, to make a promise. So when you get that chili pepper tattooed on your neck, or the rotisserie chicken inked into your hand, you’re declaring to the world and yourself that you’re not interested in getting a 9-to-5 job. You don’t want to hide your true passions and work behind a desk. Instead, you make a powerful commitment to the long hours and tremendously hard, yet gratifying work of making food, of making your art, for a living. Cooking is an art form, and just like tattoos, an expression of self.”

Tattooed Chef

Sarah Galletti, also known as the Tattooed Chef, sought creativity and went to film school before becoming a chef. She created PLANT BASED FOODS FOR PEOPLE WHO GIVE A CROP™. Today I review three of her plant based bowls, Buddha Bowl, Beef Burrito Bowl, and Chicken Burrito Bowl.

The bowls are vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and soy-free. I found them at Target.

When cauliflower rice first came out, I was very skeptical. I thought, sure, it looks like rice, but no way is it going to taste like rice. However, cauliflower rice has the texture of rice and when it’s mixed with sauces and spices, it can pass for rice. The Tattooed Chef smartly blends cooked white rice with cauliflower rice with the chicken and beef bowls. This accomplishes two things. First, it cuts down carbs while increasing veggies. Second, you are getting a small taste of rice, so you don’t feel deprived.

Plant Based Chicken Burrito Bowl

Delicious salsa verde, vegan cheese, and tender plant-based chicken are mixed with corn and black beans for an authentic Mexican flavor. I was very impressed with this meal. It tastes great and has a lot of vegetables and fiber.

Ingredients:

Plant-Based Chicken Alternative (Water, Textured Pea Protein, Sunflower Oil, Methylcellulose, Modified Food Starch, Pea Fiber, Pea Protein, Natural Flavors), Verde Sauce (Water, Tomatillo [Tomatillo, Citric Acid], Jalapeno Peppers, Onion, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Olive Oil, Cilantro, Romaine Lettuce, Apple Cider Vinegar, Salt, Garlic), Cooked White Rice (Water, White Rice), Riced Cauliflower (Cauliflower, Salt), Black Beans (Black Beans, Water, Salt), Roasted Corn, Cheese Alternative (Water, Modified Food Starch, Coconut Oil, Pea Starch, Salt, Natural Flavors, Potato Starch, Chickpea Protein, Calcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Yeast Extract), Red Onion, Cilantro.

Allergens & Warnings: Contains: coconut (tree nuts).

Plant Based Beef Burrito Bowl

This bowl is just as tasty as the chicken burrito, except that it has plant based beef. It also has a tasty jalapeno crema. It contains rice, riced cauliflower, corn, vegan cheese, and black bean with a little spicy kick from the jalapeno and chili powder.

Ingredients

Vegan Crumbles (water, pea protein, coconut oil, rice flour, coconut aminos [coconut syrup, white cane vinegar, salt], molasses, chili powder [spices {including chili peppers}, paprika, salt, garlic], tomato powder, cocoa powder, onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, natural smoke flavor), Riced Cauliflower (cauliflower, salt), Cooked White Rice (water, white rice), Black Beans (black beans, water, salt), Corn, Cheddar Cheese Alternative (water, coconut oil, modified food starch, chickpea protein, tapioca maltodextrin, natural flavor, salt, yeast extract, apocarotenal and beta carotene [color]), Sour Cream Alternative (water, coconut oil, tapioca flour, pea protein, dextrose, cornstarch, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, sunflower lecithin, lactic acid [vegan], natural flavor, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B-12, cultures), Vegan Cream Cheese (water, coconut oil, modified food starch, less than 2% of the following: chickpea protein, salt, sodium citrate, citric acid, guar gum, xanthan gum, nutritional yeast, natural flavor, yeast extract, sunflower oil, cultured dextrose, maltodextrin, sugar), Water, Jalapeno, Red Onion, Jalapeno Juice, Cilantro, Chili Powder

Allergens & Warnings: Contains: coconut (tree nuts).

Buddha Bowl

This bowl has sweet potato, cauliflower, chickpeas, and kale. My only complaint is that the chickpeas aren’t as tender as the sweet potato. The tahini sauce (sesame seeds with lemon juice) has a nice tangy vinaigrette flavor. It contains 1 cup of vegetables and no added sugar or grains for a healthy and delicious meal.

Ingredients:

CAULIFLOWER, TAHINI SAUCE (WATER, SESAME SEED PASTE, OLIVE OIL, LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, SALT, MARJORAM, GARLIC), MARINATED CHICKPEAS (CHICKPEAS, OLIVE OIL, CHILI POWDER {CHILI PEPPER, PAPRIKA, SALT, GARLIC POWDER}, GARLIC POWDER, OREGANO, SALT, CUMIN), SWEET POTATO, KALE, ONION, PARSLEY, RED CHILI PASTE (RED CHILI PEPPERS, SALT, DISTILLED VINEGAR, XANTHAN GUM), SALT.

Read my review of Tattooed Chef Pesto Bowl here: https://liveglutenanddairyfree.com/gluten-and-dairy-free-chimichurri-and-pesto/.

Other bowls include breakfast bowls, entrée bowls, and smoothie bowls.

Conclusion

There are so many things to like about the Tattooed Chef bowls. Of course, the first is that they are gluten and dairy-free. And they contain so many vegetables, have great sauces, and are suitable for vegans.

Fun Food Fact

You can make cauliflower rice by using a box grater or food processor.

Did You Know?

A Buddha bowl is a vegetarian meal with grains such as quinoa or rice, vegetables, protein, and dressing.

Quotes

“I’ve been tatted with a metal needle by hand by a monk in Chiang Mai. I’ve had a number of tattoo parlors in the States. I’ve had one hammered into my chest by two drunken Iban tribesmen in Borneo.” Anthony Bourdain

In an interview with Vogue magazine, Bourdain showed the interviewer one of his arm tattoos of a quote from the Greek skeptics that translates, “I am certain of nothing. I’m not even sure I’m certain of that.” Anthony Bourdain