I just finished reading an article on the Huffington Post’s website about how Chicago’s O’Hare Airport opened a yoga room, complete with mats and disinfectant wipes for the estimated 67 million travelers who pass through each year. How cool is that?! I love this idea because it reinforces the fact that without yoga, people get crazy! Having flown in and out of O’Hare tons of times, I would have loved if it existed a decade or so ago… like on my layovers from India or the time my flight to a retreat in Mexico was cancelled and I had to sit in the airpot for an extra six hours. Oh! And kids are allowed to use it too, as long as they are supervised!
San Fran’s International Airport opened a Yoga Room last year, followed by one at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and at the Burlington International Airport in Vermont. Looks like it’s catching on… what a dream come true for yogis! And what a better use of a 15×16 feet space than say, a smokers lounge?!
It’s funny too because every time I travel, I lug my Manduka Black Mat Pro with me and people are always asking me if I’m going to pull it out and start practicing. To which I usually reply, “what, here?!” But if I had a cute little space like the one in O’Hare, nestled amongst the urban garden onsite where vegetables are grown for use in the airport restaurants, then I would have rolled out and thrown down some asana! This may effect the way I travel from here on out. Instead of going through L.A. to get home to Rhode Island, I may find a way to hit up San Fran and Chicago’s airports just for a good story to tell… I’m always thinking of my Yummy Yogini readers!
No yoga? No peace!
So back to all things yummy for a moment, I’m still off of those FiberOne bars and making my own granola at home as a way to eliminate processed sugar and save a buck or two here and there. It’s great for breakfast and to snack on so today I made a gluten-free Apple Cinnamon Granola using a Granny Smith instead of store bought applesauce, to help cut out the sugar. Also, I added dried blueberries and cherries for a touch of sweetness. Enjoy!
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Apple Cinnamon Granola- makes over 2 lb.
Ingredients:
-2 lb. rolled oats (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
-1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped finely
-1 cup chopped walnuts
-1 cup chopped pecans
-1 cup dried cherries
-1 cup dried blueberries
-1 T cinnamon
-1 tsp each of vanilla and nutmeg
-2 T maple syrup
-1 T honey
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats with the spices and set aside.
3. Chop your apple as finely as possible and add it and the nuts to the oats. Mix well.
4. In a sauté pan, bring the maple syrup, vanilla and honey to a quick boil and remove right away, adding it to the oats. Mix well.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the granola on top.
6. Bake for an hour, stirring occasionally, or until the oats have browned.
7. Add the dried fruit and let the granola cool. Easy peesy!
