Voracious Vander

Are you down with this stewed fruit situation?

Tart vegetable rhubarb is perfect for stewing and develops an irresistible magenta color when cooked.

Apples are a classic too – with a little cinnamon and some stove-top love they suddenly feel more indulgent than your average crunchy snack version.

Stewed fruit is for slowing down and getting cozy. For warm breakfasts and desserts with vibrant, spice-flecked sweetness – it’s an easy way to transform winter fruit into something even more exciting.

You can cook up a big batch for the week and gently reheat portions to use as a topping for oats, yogurt, ice cream or as a crumble base. You can’t go wrong.

To stew fruit, you need:
1. Fruit chopped into bite-sited pieces
2. A little water
3. Honey or other sweetener like maple or sugar (optional for naturally sweet fruit like apples, pears and strawberries. I suggest it for the rhubarb.)
4. Spices like cinnamon and/or nutmeg (optional)

Toast a couple of tablespoons of quinoa in a dry pan over a medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally until they begin to pop slightly like popcorn and smell nutty. Use as a garnish to add an unexpected crunch.

Cook oats with coconut milk for a creamy, non-dairy porridge with a hit of sweet coconut.

Stewed rhubarb
- 1 bunch rhubarb, stems chopped into 1-inch/2.5-cm chunks
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup water

In a saucepan with a lid bring the water, honey and rhubarb to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook covered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruit is soft but not falling apart. The water should be reduced slightly and become bright pink and slightly syrupy in consistency.

Stewed apple
- apple, cut into 1/2 inch/1 cm slices (peel them, don’t peel them. let your level of laziness guide you.)
- a couple of pinches of cinnamon
- a couple of tablespoons of water

In a saucepan with a lid cook apples, cinnamon and water covered over a medium low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water by the spoonful if the pan dries out at any point – you’re mainly looking for the natural sugars to come out and make the fruit slightly jammy. Cook until the apples are fork tender and most of the liquid is gone.