Fifteen fantastic fruit and nut-filled Tu Bishvat recipes - The Jewish Chronicle

The birthday of the trees is the perfect opportunity to celebrate all with a host of delicious fruits and nuts.

All sorts of colourful deliciousness can be created with the seven species — barley, dates, olives, grapes, figs, wheat and pomegranates — which are the staple foods eaten by Jewish people in the land of Israel in Biblical times.

They lend themselves to wholesome, tasty salads and interesting breads as well as a host of delicious dessert.

Here are a few of our favourites:

Photo: Yakir ZurPhoto: Yakir Zur

1. Start your day with my tahini date granola which is easy to make and packed with tasty ingredients. Pile onto creamy yoghurt or sprinkle over fresh fruits — or just eat it by the handful. It’s delicious any which way.

Photo: Blake Ezra

2. Ilana Epstein’s recipe for her Savta’s winter fruit compote is another way of adding dried fruits to your day. Great for breakfast but also every dessert and snacking opportunity.

[Missing Credit]

3. If you prefer a bready start to your day, Silvia Nacamulli’s grape focaccia is amazing. Sweet juicy grapes contrast with the crisp and salty crust and a generous helping of olive oil makes it even more addictive. Or save it for lunch – it’s next level filled with salty cheese.

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

4. Moving onto lunch, Fabienne Viner-Luzzato’s honey-roasted shallots are perfect paired with nutty barley, sticky sweet dried figs and juicy grapes in this tasty Tu Bishvat-inspired salad. Olives and dates are included in the dressing for a main course that ticks off most of the seven species in its ingredient list.

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

5. My swalty (sweet and salty) pistachio-packed fig and olive tapenade makes a brilliant relish to go with cheese or even cold meats. It’s fast to prepare and also a great crostini topping schmeared over goat’s cheese.

Photo: Micah Siva[Missing Credit]

6. Mica Siva’s pomegranate and lentil tabbouleh makes another hearty lunch that’s packed with colour, texture and juicy flavour. Serve with as part of a festive buffet.

[Missing Credit]

7. Use the barley in this warming winter mushroom soup from Judi Rose. Serve your krupnik with hunks of fruit-filled bread and olive oil to dip it in.

29092016 DivineFood DriedFruitCouscous[Missing Credit]

8. Dinner’s done withi Avner Laskin’s sticky sweet dried fruit and beef couscous — the ideal meal to base your Tu Bishvat supper around. Slow-cooked melting beef is even more delicious paired with prunes, dates and apricots and topped with crunchy toasted almonds.

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz[Missing Credit]

9. Denise Phillips’s seven species salad is packed with pomegranate and perfectly parev, so brilliant served alongside the beef couscous – or topped with grilled haloumi or goat’s cheese. Or even a scattering of feta cheese. Replace fresh figs with dried ones which will be easier to find at this time of year.

Photo: Inbal Bar-Oz

10. Fabienne Viner-Luzzato’s fruit and nut-loaded bread and delicious tapenade is another special recipe to add to your Tu Bishvat table.

[Missing Credit]

11. Moving on to the sweeter treats – fruit and nuts totally lend themselves to desserts and bakes. Shiri Krauz’s fruit and nut filled biscotti are a brilliant way to pack these foods into your day and also make great gifts.

[Missing Credit]

12. These energy balls made with fruit and nut butters are simple, fast and delicious.You’ll be making them long after Tu Bishvat has finished.

Photo: Justyna Radon[Missing Credit]

13. Up your energy ball game with Denise Phillips’s cashew and cocoa truffles. Full of fruits and nuts but with a sticky, sweet chocolate kick.

Photo: Kay Lockett[Missing Credit]

14. Marzipan makes great use of tasty nuts – pistachios instead of almonds for these treats. It’s then rolled and used to fill dried fruits makes it on point for the birthday of the trees. You’ll also love these marzipan-filled fruits.

Denise P's spelt and fig bread[Missing Credit]

15. Denise Phillips’s tasty spelt, date and walnut bread is a brilliant bake to add to your Tu Bishvat table. The recipe works as a loaf or as 24 bread rolls both shapes delicious dipped in olive oil or in a bowl of steaming soup.

Topics: