Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and onion; saute 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add contents of rice package to vegetables, including seasoning packet. Add water. Bring to boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed (about 9-12 minutes.)

Turn off the heat; add dates to vegetable/rice mixture. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes to allow dates to soften. Sprinkle with cashews just before serving. (A nice variation we like sometimes is to add the cashews with the dates to let them warm up.)