Did you know that in 2020, Chef Laura and the food team introduced 37 new recipes?
In addition to these delicious new meals, we hosted an employee recipe contest that generated fabulous ideas for 2021. We are excited to roll out these employee recipes this year, starting with the Grilled Chicken & Quinoa Bowl, which is available now on our January menu!
This fresh and healthy recipe comes from Allison Dorsey, who has been an employee at the Dream Dinners Framingham location for 15 months. Allison’s power bowl is the perfect mix of textures and temperature as grilled marinated chicken sits on a bed of warm quinoa and brown rice, topped with a cool, refreshing carrot salad and drizzled with a homemade Green Goddess Dressing.
Want to learn more about our first employee contest winner? Check out this interview that she had with Chef Laura!
Chef Laura: If you had to pick a favorite Dream Dinners meal, what would it be? Do you have a favorite Sides & Sweets item?
Allison: Thai Coconut Shrimp over Jasmine Rice is my favorite meal. My family also loves the chocolate chip cookies from our Sides and Sweets freezer. They are a staple in our house!
Chef Laura: Your recipe is a great addition to our monthly menu! What inspired it?
Allison: The inspiration for my recipe was “healthy.” My family loves layered bowls with hot and cold elements. I often make power bowls with rice or quinoa, a cooked protein, crisp cold veggies, and usually top it with a fried egg. I created this recipe thinking about that balance of textures and using both hot and cold ingredients.
Chef Laura: Tell me about your cooking experience.
Allison: I learned to cook by subscribing to Bon Appetit in 2001 and making 4-5 new recipes a month from the magazine. My family’s favorite recipe is my zucchini bread. I love to experiment in the kitchen, and I love trying new recipes. I like cooking with fresh spices and quality ingredients, and I like to spend time building flavor. I also love interesting cookbooks, and I have a lot of them; my favorite is Heritage, by Sean Brock.
Chef Laura: I spend a lot of time in my kitchen, so I have quite a few favorite tools and appliances. Do you have any favorites?
Allison: Yes! My Wolf stove is my favorite appliance, and my ricer is my favorite kitchen tool.
Chef Laura: What are your hobbies outside of the kitchen?
Allison: I love home décor…painting and repurposing furniture, thrifting, and hunting at consignment shops. Before working at Dream Dinners, I had a space in an antique shop, and I enjoyed that very much!
Thank you so much to Allison and our other recipe contest winners for sharing their great ideas! Have you tried Allison’s Grilled Chicken & Quinoa Power Bowl? We’d love to hear what you think of this delicious new meal! Share your thoughts with us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.