A Staycation in Gluten/Dairy Free Paradise

As I write this post at 7:30 on a Tuesday evening, the cool winds of June are whisking my hair into a frenzy of tangled curls while the billowing clouds are setting up for what I hope to be a sunset painted with flashes of fushia, sherbet and a glossy blue that only a summer sky can provide. I am also housesitting for a friend and tossing a  tennis ball for her dog, so forgive me if I make a few typos or leave something out. This dog is adorable and wants to hug me with her paws and put her nose on my lap all afternoon while I was writing my articles for work. She's hard to turn down so here goes practicing my multitasking skills. 

At this very moment I am also digesting my quite lovely dinner I enjoyed outside on a patio with a stunning view. The menu for tonight included: 

• Citrus herb encrusted chicken tenders
• A freshly made garden salad
• A slice of Bob's Red Mill Cornbread
• A baked potato
• And for dessert, tart, juicy strawberries

For the breading on my chicken tenders I used generous sprinkles of Grandpa's Gourmet Gluten Free Encrusting. This flavor is Citrus Herb and contains chopped almonds, walnuts, cornmeal, orange peel, and some spices. It has a refreshing flavor that is not spicy at all but provides the perfect amount of crispness and bursts of orange. 

To cook the chicken I did the following: 

• Pre-heated the oven to 375
• Basted the chicken tenders in olive oil. 
• Rolled them in the bread crumbs. 
• Placed them in a non-stick pan about 1 to 2 inches apart. 
• Baked in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle. ( In light of preparing my salad, feeding a dog, feeding a cat and taking pictures of this fine feast I truly did not time my chicken, so you'll have to use your best judgement folks!) 

My salad included romaine lettuce, carrots (I just used a peeler to get the thin strips), purple cabbage, and radishes. Usually I included tomato and cucumber and even some sliced pear but alas I did not have any with me tonight. My dressing was Tuscany Italian from Annie's Naturals. It's pretty much the best Italian dressing. EVER. 

Citrus Herb Encrusted Chicken Tenders

   

The feasting plate. As my grandma always says, "A colorful plate is a healthy plate!" 

Aaaahhh...fresh summer strawberries. The perfect end to my evening meal.

While this meal is really nothing special, I still enjoyed the simplicity of it. The added bonus of eating with such a wonderful view and enjoying hearing nothing but the tweeting of birds, the buzzing of hummingbirds and the wind in the trees made this ordinary meal feel extravagant and cozy. While I enjoy hitting up downtown Missoula for First Friday and contra dancing that makes me feel like a character in a Jane Austen novel, there is nothing quite like a summer evening in Montana spent in the outdoors with nothing but my dinner, a view, and a good book.