A New Food Trend Offers Highly Nutritious, Easy to Prepare & Affordability in the Kitchen

Recipes by Electric City Coffee | Photography by Jacqui Smith

Bacon & Lentil Caprese Salad

· 12 ounces Groundworks Farm bacon
· Salt and pepper to taste
· 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
· 6 cups tossed spring greens and Prairie Heritage Farms Spinach
· 1 cup cooked pulse red lentils
· 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
· ½ cup mozzarella balls
· 3 slices roasted beets
· 3 slices avocado
· 2 cups balsamic vinegar
· Freshly cracked black pepper

Conquering Expectations One Crepe at a Time

Text by Colter Pedersen | Photography by Jacqui Smith

“I never wanted to open a restaurant,” begins Kayt Bonahoom. Which is funny, since she just opened her second location. “I am not a cook by any means,” she continues, “But I’m a researcher. Cooking is following instructions, if you can follow instructions you’re fine.” Kayt comes across as a problem solver, her tone casual and confident. When she speaks, the twinkle in her eye belies her lack of any formal culinary training.

Three years ago she was a seamstress, selling clothing alongside her husband Josh’s artwork at the farmer’s market. Today she’s running a mini empire with two mobile food operations, two permanent locations and a catering enterprise on the side.

Imbibing in Spring

Text by Hayley Leray | Photo by Rhonda Adkins

What’s the best way to segue into spring? With a cocktail of course! This Sparkling Vanilla-Pear Bourbon Lemonade is the perfect teaser for the warmer days ahead. Infused with market-fresh ingredients, this seasonally inspired recipe screams summer with lemonade but the pears, vanilla, thyme and brown sugar give it a warming quality and depth of flavor… the perfect ingredients for transitioning into spring. So, dust off the patio furniture and gear up for some warm-weather imbibing.

Photography by Jacqui Smith Shot on location at Valley Farms, Helena, MT

Hair and Makeup by Katie Guthrie, Pure Hair Spa

Text by Kristen McGuire | Photography by Sara Young

The gender pay equity gap affects households, not just women. Family-friendly benefits and flexibility are just as important to millennials as higher salaries. In Montana’s agricultural economy, at least one paycheck from a side gig balances out the risk of a bad crop year. Paycheck fairness is increasingly a gender-neutral proposition.

Liz Palla rejoiced when she landed a telecommuting position with a strategic consulting firm serving foundations and charities. She found the golden ticket at just the right time. Her husband, Brendan, was re-entering the workforce after completing a Ph.D., so it was likely they would be moving from New York City. Happily for the University of Great Falls, the Pallas and their two little boys relocated in 2013, five months after she started her new job.

Text by Deb Bjorsness- Benefis Diabetes Program Coordinator

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and continues to affect more Americans every year. From 1988 to 2008, the prevalence of diabetes diagnoses increased by a staggering 125 percent, and if the current growth patterns continue, as many as one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050.

In addition to the increase of diabetes occurrence, pre-diabetes continues to grow in the United States. Pre-diabetes affects 86 million Americans, or approximately one in every three American adults.