Pinch Me: The No Sugar Baker’s Babka

This week I turn forty-six. What a whirlwind year it has been—exactly a year ago I got sick. I mean sick with a capital S.

It was another four weeks before I got diagnosed. It was a dark tunnel at first—I didn’t see the light—in fact, I felt tremendous guilt. At first, after diagnosis, for about a week, I’d sit back fighting tears as The Hubs daily made me breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’d stare at my prescription bottles, not being able to make out their tiny print—wondering, what did I become. How on earth, did I let myself get to such a dark place.

Recently, someone posted on social media, Jayne is a beacon of light to so many. As a lawyer and author, word choice and use of words plays a thought-proking factor in my life. I sometimes find myself wondering why certain words and what some choose to say, affect me. I take words to heart.

I take my journey reaching out to all of you to heart. You all matter to me. Your life matters to me. Your health matters to me and your kind words matter to me.
In less than four months, this blog and team (of the no sugar movement as it was referred to this week-ha!) has over 50,000 followers. Remarkable doors have been opened to me recently and friendships born.

I was scared to death to tell my story—to whoever could find it on the big world wide web of information and of course, the negative naysayers would gossip about it, about me and spread false stories. That’s how they roll. That is how they see the world.

That’s not how we roll. You make me smile and beam with pride. Together, we are taking back our health, enjoying life’s sweetest adventures and believing in ourselves. And, each other.

We are all that beacon of light.

Thank you for being apart of the team. Carry on friend. Always see the positive—shine on.

Pinch me—seriously, just pinch me. I never would have dreamt in a million years, I’d be making a no sugar babka bread as a highlight of my weekend. It brought so much joy to my neighbor’s face. He literally lit up. I did too, just knowing the word beacon means—a hub of positive energy and hope.

Shine on. Pinch me. All this made with love. Roll on!
The No Sugar Baker (AKA Jayne)

No Sugar Baker’s Babka!

Dough Ingredients:

¾ C. Unsweetened Almond Milk (Warmed to 90 degrees)
4 T. Butter
3 T. Swerve Granular
2 Egg Yolks Plus 2 Whole Eggs
1 T. Vanilla
4 C. Flour or Almond Flour
2 ½ t. Active Dry Yeast

Filling Ingredients:

1 C. Swerve Brown
2 T. Cinnamon
3 T. Melted Butter
Chopped Pecans to Sprinkle (Optional)

Easy Directions:

In bread machine, put dough ingredients in order in bread machine pan. Put on dough cycle. When finished, place dough on floured surface and roll out into 18×15 inch rectangle. Spread filling ingredients over dough. Roll the dough, tightly—starting from one end of the long sides. Cut the roll in half, lengthwise, making two strands. Now, braid or twist the dough strands together. Try to keep the cut side on top, as much as possible. You can shape your dough furthermore into a figure 8 shape. Place in a prepared greased and parchment lined 9×5 loaf pan. Let rise with warm towel on top of pan/dough for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing. Serve with butter.