Flourish

Ever since we learned our first child was on the way, the Sweet Pea bakers have been on a mission to make a healthy cookie that tastes so good that even a picky kid would ask for them as a snack. While we were at it, we thought we would get as many Montana-grown and sold ingredients as we could into that recipe.

With the debut of Nela cookies last month, we can claim a success on both fronts.

Attached is the text from some marketing material that describes our new favorite cookies in more detail. Nela cookies are now available daily at Sweet Pea Bakery. Read on, and then stop by or call ahead to get some for yourself.

Nela Cookies (NEE-lah KOOK-eez):
a) Naturally-sweetened whole-grain cookies with milled flax, dark chocolate, golden raisins and toasted organic coconut.

b) Our answer to some of life’s challenges.

Challenge #1: Raising a healthy, happy child who has a positive relationship with food.

Eating healthy can be a struggle for any family, but we have the added challenge of spending most of our waking hours in a dessert shop, surrounded by temptation. We had only been in the bakery business two weeks when we learned Nela would be joining us soon. This led to some serious discussions about the impact of our calling on her health as an infant, and years down the road. After committing to stay active and eat healthy at home, we went to work developing a line of treats we can feel comfortable feeding our healthy, happy little girl when she asks for one.

Made just for her, Nela Cookies are the first recipe in that line. They are made with unbleached GMO-free whole wheat flour, oats and organic milled flax so she fills up on nutritious whole grains instead of cheap fillers. Nela Cookies are sweetened with honey and maple syrup, and contain no refined sugars or artificial sweeteners. We use high-oleic, expeller pressed safflower oil in place of butter and margarine for a light, soft cookie without extra fat and fillers. Golden raisins and toasted organic coconut add natural fiber disguised as flavor, perfect for getting kids of all ages to eat better, whether they know it or not!

Challenge #2: Be part of the solution to a soft economy by filling our pantry with Montana-grown ingredients.

As our business grows, we are working hard to seek out and use Montana-grown and sold ingredients as much as possible. Beyond that, we want to use our position as a value-added producer to help our customers understand where their food comes from and how they can increase their own consumption of local foods, even on a budget. We believe that a strong network of local food producers and consumers is critical to a strong community, a healthy landscape and a dynamic economy.

With six ingredients hailing from Montana farms (and hives), Nela cookies are our biggest success so far. We use whole wheat flour and oats from Three Forks, eggs from Harlo, and safflower oil from Culbertson. The flax comes from around Plentywood, and the honey from Pony. Of course, the water is local, too, but we’re not counting that. Together, these ingredients comprise 50% of our food cost for every Nela Cookie we produce. That money stays in Montana, going to support producers of wholesome ingredients; producers who care for the land their families have tended for generations.