A Homemade Life: Stewed Prunes

I'm about to get really personal with you, maybe too personal.  We're going to talk about constipation.  It's a pregnancy and post pregnancy woe. 

I was lucky enough to not worry about it at all this pregnancy, except towards the end, when it was less about the actual constipation, and more about rectal pressure from the positioning of the baby.  You hear complaints from pregnant women about the bladder pressure - that feeling of having to pee all the time.  No one talks about "the other end."  But when the baby descends, you constantly feel like you have to go, even though usually you don't.  It's been the bane of my existence for weeks.

Here's another dirty little secret - I really dislike prunes.  I think it stems from my childhood when Thatmom made us drink prune juice regularly to "keep us regular."  But after having Thatkid, I gained a newfound appreciation for them.  So while I normally wouldn't get excited about stewed prunes recipe, given the timing of this one, I was more than happy to make and try it.

Wizenberg recommends serving it warm, and it is delicious that way, but lately I've made it a regular part of my breakfast, serving it cold from the fridge and I don't think it loses much served that way either.

Stewed Prunes with Citrus and Cinnamon (From a Homemade Life)

1 orange

1 lb pitted prunes

1 cinnamon stick

1. Cut the orange in half from stem to tip, then slice it very thinly, peel and all.
2.  Put the orange slices in a medium saucepan with prunes and the cinnamon stick.
3. Add water just to cover.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 30-45 minutes.
4. Remove the cinnamon stick, cool slightly and serve.