Brack Johnson

Home Sweet Home What could be better after an exhilarating, exhausting day in the kitchen than a dip in a swimming pool? My lodging for the week was Home2Suites, a Hilton property in Poughkeepsie, just 10 minutes from the CIA. Its indoor pool and fitness center went a long way to keep me from fretting about the cascade of calories coming my way. The staff members greeted me warmly and went the extra mile.

By Brack Johnson Cinco de Mayo (May 5). No Diet Day (May 6). Mother's Day (May 10). Memorial Day (May 25). Or any old beautiful afternoon in the Triangle. There are many reasons May is an idyllic month for picnics in Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill and environs. To dine al fresco, all you need is a blanket, a cooler, a patch of grass, and these quick-and-easy recipes from Southern cookbooks.

By Brack Johnson Paleo? Gluten–free? Low–fat? Low–carb? Atkins? Ornish? Mediterranean? Flexitarian? There seems to be one diet for every day of the year. So, Carolina Woman's just not going there. Instead, we're looking for main–dish recipes that offer these healthy qualities: Freshness to excite the palate Robust use of herbs and spices Lots of fruit and vegetables No added fat other than oil for cooking Easy ways to adjust ingredient amounts And we found them! All over the world.