Tu B’Shevat, the fifteenth day in the Jewish month of Shevat, is known as the “New Year for Trees.” This year, it will be celebrated on Shabbat, Jan. 30. On Tu B’Shevat we take note of the exquisite beauty and bounty of the holy produce of the land of Israel. There are Seven Species of Israel listed in Deuteronomy (8:8), “A land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and date honey.” Therefore, it is customary to eat a variety of fruits that come from the land of Israel on this day. Below you will find recipes filled with fruit to help celebrate the day.

Enjoy!
BASMATI RICE WITH
DRIED CHERRIES
2 cups water
1 cup rice
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 Tbs. canola oil
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black
pepper
1/2 cup dried cherries,
chopped
1/4 cup chopped pistachio
nuts

In a three-quart saucepan, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes. Add rice, salt, pepper, and dried cherries, and stir to combine. Add water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat. Fluff cooked rice with a fork. Top with 1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts.

Serves 6-8.
PUMPKINDATE
LOAF
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking
soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 cup dates, pitted and
chopped into quarters
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat eggs, oil, pumpkin, and dates. Combine all of the dry ingredients together with pumpkin mixture. Pour into large loaf pan or two small loaf pans lined with parchment paper. Top with walnuts. Bake until golden brown. Freezes well.

Serves 6-8.
BAKED FIGS WITH
MAPLE GLAZED YOGURT
10 ripe, fresh figs
1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
2 Tbs. pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place figs on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Coat figs with cooking oil spray.

Bake until softened, approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Cut tops of figs in a crisscross direction. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine together maple syrup and yogurt. Drizzle figs with maple-yogurt mixture and re-bake 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Serves 4-5.
OATMEAL-CAROB CHIP
BARS
6 Tbs. canola oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats

2 tsp. pure vanilla
12 oz. carob chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine together oil, sugar and egg. Add flours, baking soda, oats and salt. Blend together well; add vanilla, and fold in carob chips. Place mixture onto 9x13-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Bake 20-25 minutes or five additional minutes for crispier bars. Remove from oven; cut into squares