When life gives you a bunch of overripe plums, stew them. That’s the advice my mother would give you, and I wholeheartedly agree. This quick and easy technique is a simple solution to less-than-perfect fruit and tastes like home in a bowl. Other fruit that stews well: nectarines, peaches, rhubarb, and apricots. 

Spoon stewed fruit on top of plain yogurt (try it with your favorite granola), ice cream, hot cereal, french toast, or pancakes. The proportions below will get you started but can be adapted to work for what you have on hand. You really can’t go wrong as fruit tends to get more delicious when you cook it down.

Ingredients

8 Italian prune plums, pitted and chopped (no need to peel) 

3 T maple syrup

⅛ tsp cinnamon (or a cinnamon stick)

¼ tsp ground cardamom (optional)

¼ tsp vanilla

¾ cup water

Optional additions:

brandy

dried fruit (ex: raisins, apricots)

cherries, pitted and sliced

berries

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft and some liquid has reduced.