West End dietitian finds recipe for balancing family, work, baking

November 9, 2026

West End local mom and registered dietitian Abby Barberousse loves to bake. While working two jobs as a dietitian, she started selling her homemade baked goods on the side as a way to provide for her family while still being present with them.

Baking while her children are at school or napping allows Abby to balance her work with family life, and her family gets to wake up to a house filled with the smell of fresh bread and cookies.

“I’ve always loved baking for others,” said Abby. “There’s something special about putting my time, effort, and heart into creating something that brings someone else joy.”

In April 2025, she began advertising to her Seven Lakes community on Facebook and eventually picked up the business name “Abby Bakes Bread.” What started primarily with bread and cookies has expanded to include doughnuts, muffins, and the occasional special request.

As a dietitian, it gives her peace of mind to know exactly what is going into the food that she feeds her family. Abby told the Sentinel, “If I can make it homemade, I’m going to try.”

As part of her degree requirements, she took cooking and baking classes in college. She learned how ingredients react, and that knowledge helps her with her recipe formulation and general experimentation in the kitchen.

Her light and fluffy apple cider sourdough doughnuts are made with coconut sugar and maple syrup, dusted with brown sugar and cinnamon. The sourdough pumpkin muffins feature added collagen, and her artisan-style breads can be customized with add-ins such as rosemary, garlic, and cinnamon raisin, just to name a few.

She is considering adding gluten-free options to her menu. However, because she operates out of her home kitchen, she wants customers to know that she can’t guarantee against gluten cross-contamination.

Those interested in placing an order with Abby can call or text her at 412-215-5760. She offers to meet for local pickup in the West End/Seven Lakes area. If you’re lucky, you can find some of her cookies being sold at Dewey’s Veggie Vibe at 4381 N.C. Highway 73, near the back gate of Seven Lakes West.