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!

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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?!

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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!

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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

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Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300.

2. In a large bowl, mix the oats with the spices and set aside.

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3. Chop your apple as finely as possible and add it and the nuts to the oats. Mix well.

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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.

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5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the granola on top.

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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!

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