Crunchy Chicken Tenders

Part 1 - Prepare Orange Puree
- 1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped
- 3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
- 3-4 tablespoons water

In a medium pot, cover carrots and sweet potatoes with cold water and boil for about 20 minutes until yams, and espaecially carrots, are very tender.

Drain the yams and carrots and put them in the food processor with two tablespoons of water. Puree on high until smooth, no chunks should remain. Stop occassionally to push the contents from teh top to the bottom. If necessary, add the rest of teh water to make a smooth puree, but the less water the better.

This makes about 2 cups of puree. Double the recipe if you want to store another cup of puree. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze 1/4 portions in sealed plastic bags of small plastic containers.

Part 2 - Prepare Better Breading
- 1 cupbread crumbs (preferably whole wheat)
- 1 cup almonds, slivered and blanched (optional)
- 1 cup wheat germ, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon salt

With this recipe you are aiming at the consistency of cornmeal. Pulse almonds in food processor. Don't let the food processor run continually, if you don't pulse it, you will end up with nut butter. Pour the meal into a bowl, and then combine into it the ground bread crumbs, wheat germ and salt.

Keep refrigerated in a sealed, labeled plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.

Part 3 - Make Chicken Tenders
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup flour (preferably whole wheat)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup orange puree
- 2 cups better breading
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Season chicken tenders with salt. Place flour in a shallow dish or on a plate. Beat eggs with orange puree in shallow bowl and place next to the flour. In a third shallow dish or on a paper plate, combine the better breading with the parmesan cheese.

Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour shaking off excess, then the egg mixture and then the better breading mixture. Press the breading evenly onto both sides of the chicken. Put on wax or parchment paper and store in the refrigerator for cooking tomorrow or proceed to cook immediately.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place breaded chicken tenders on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Turn chicken tenders over once with tongs, then return to oven for another 10-12 minutes until cooked through.