Photo: Francesco Crippa

I travel on a monthly basis to teach or assist yoga workshops and often felt frustrated with sub-par, overly-expensive food options.

Eating out three meals a day could be a greater expense than I can afford and I prefer local, organic and fresh. This may sound simple, but finding the closest local health food store or farmers’ market is not often an easy option.

I am also not interested in the waste involved in quasi-fast food, so now when I travel I pack my to-go ware (bamboo utensils), handkerchief (paper napkins are made of trees), a tiffin container box and my klean kanteen.

Here are some of my favorite grounding (airplane friendly) recipes that can tide me over until next hearty meal of choice:

 

 

 

Deven’s Homemade Instant Oatmeal Mix: (because store bought is overpriced and oversugared!)

Premix equal parts flaked quinoa, barley, rye, oatmeal and chia seeds. Add to taste cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice (and if you would really like your favorite sweetener).

¼ cup of the mix per day works well for me.

Add hot water to a serving size and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

I will add a handful of trail mix, and a tablespoon each of nut butter and coconut oil for ultimate yumminess.

Miso Soup: (be careful to find a powdered brand that doesn’t have msg)

Add 2-3 kinds of seaweed wakame: Kombu and nori compliment each other well (seaweed travels particularly well and is a great snack).

Dried mushrooms can round this one out really well, as the multiple seaweeds can get too salty so be careful.

 

 

 

California Chai:

I prepack one-two tea bags per day.  These spices are great for digestion and general constitution. I travel with small one serving boxes of almond milk to add to my chai or oatmeal (not earth friendly, but hits the craving spot).

1 Tblspn roobios tea (or yerba mate or black tea or one of each)

2-3 cardamom pods

3-4 black or white peppercorns

1-2 each cloves, allspice and or star anise

¼ to ½ stick cinnamon

Sprouted Nuts:

Make your own mix of raw, organic almonds, cashews, peanuts for the road.

Add room temperature water and devour 3-4 hours later. This is a super duper energy snack or salad topper.

CocoHydro™:

a powdered coconut water drink, just add water (colder is better). Not as great as fresh from a coconut but refreshing and airplane friendly.

Other yummy, simple snacks:

Carrots, raw kale and hummus. Nori and Avocado sprinkled with sesame seed salt. Annie’s Gone Crackers.

Dried fruit. Try mulberries, goji, dates, figs and/or prunes together. Apples & Peanut Butter (most states will let you fly with fruit, but places like California and Florida won’t let you come in with them).

Please let me know what your favorite travel food is!