From Helen’s Kitchen

An archive of of well tested recipes that have been gathered over 40 years of married life! Some are originals, others have been found in books & on the web (both often modified) with a special emphasis on diabetic needs. Please read further if diabetic recipes are of particular interest.

Avocado & Melon Salad with Strawberry Dressing (D)

Unusual but scrumptious.

2 Punnets strawberries - or 1 large tray

1½ cups sour cream

¼ teaspoon each salt & grated lemon peel

2 Avocados sliced or balled

6 cups mixed melon balls (watermelon, rock melon, honeydew, cantaloupe - or just rock melon)

16 ounces (450 grams) creamed cottage cheese

1 Iceberg Lettuce

Mint for garnish

Slice half the Strawberries, blend in Kitchen Whizz with sour cream, salt & lemon peel until smooth- chill until required.

Arrange avocado, melon balls, cottage cheese & remaining strawberries on a lettuce lined platter.

Just before serving drizzle the dressing over and garnish with mint.

Beware, this makes a large bowl of salad!

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

Dilly Tossed Salad (D)

Toss together mixed lettuce greens, tomato wedges, thinly sliced Spanish onion, thinly sliced capsicum & 3 finely chopped Dill Pickles. Dress with a good French Dressing and serve.

Also see the Variations On The Lettuce & Tomato Theme below.

This is designed to go with fish (particularly salmon) but is just as nice with steak and other meats.

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

Dita Cobb’s Potato Salad

(The late Dita Cobb was a well known, flamboyant, and much married, Australian radio personality during the 1950s and 60s who dedicated her recipe book entitled, Dahlings its delicious, “To the husband without whose unfailing stinginess this book would not have been possible”)

4 - 6 big potatoes

4 hard boiled eggs

2 medium sized onions

2 - 3 rashers of bacon finely chopped and well cooked

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

About 2/3 cup of GOOD mayonnaise*

Chopped chives

Salt & pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in their jacket, cool, peel and slice.
Mince the onions finely. Slice the hard boiled eggs.
Put the olive oil and the vinegar in the bottom of the bowl, add potatoes, onions, eggs, crisp bacon, freshly ground pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly with mayonnaise and chill until required. Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives just before serving.

* I always use my Easy Mayonnaise recipe below

Note: If any recipe can be said to have a secret, this one does! If you forget to put the oil and vinegar in the bottom of the bowl, the salad does not taste near as nice.

Dita Cobb - “Dahlings its delicious”

Easy Mayonnaise Dressing

400 g can sweetened condensed milk

2 large, fresh eggs

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried mustard

1 cup white vinegar

Put all ingredients in a large screw-top jar. Seal jar tightly and shake vigorously for 3 minutes.

Make at least 24 hours before needed and store in refrigerator. Will keep for up to 6 weeks.

When ready to use, pour required amount into a jug, put in an equal amount of cream or milk and stir well before pouring over salad.

- Mrs Tanner, Barnawatha

Egg and Lettuce Salad

½ large head of Iceberg lettuce

6 hard boiled eggs

½ cup Easy Mayonnaise Dressing

½ cup cream

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

A few chives

Slice lettuce finely. Slice or chop up 4 of the 6 hard boiled eggs. Toss the eggs in with the lettuce. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Combine the mayonnaise and cream thoroughly. Pour the mayonnaise over the lettuce and egg mixture and mix all together well. (You may not need the full cup.)

Slice the remaining 2 eggs and arrange on the top of the salad. Sprinkle a few chopped chives over the top.

NOTE: This recipe can be made “suitable for diabetics” by an appropriate choice of mayonnaise/aioli. The rest of the ingredients are diabetic friendly! - IGG

Green Bean Salad with Feta & Tomatoes (D)

250 - 500 g green beans, washed and trimmed

2 reasonably small truss tomatoes chopped fairly finely

100 g good feta, well crumbled

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint (don’t skip this, the mint adds incredible flavour!)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine herbs, oil, vinegar, salt & pepper in a bowl & stir well to emulsify. Add tomatoes, spring onion & feta. Stir gently until well mixed. Cover & stand aside at room temperature until required.

Bring a pot of salted (small teaspoon salt) water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and boil until barely tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold tap water. Pat the green beans dry with paper towels.

Toss the green beans in with the tomato mixture & serve immediately as a warm salad or can be refrigerated & served as a cold salad. Excellent with any hot or cold meats & fish.

Note: Still nice cold the next day if there is any left over!

Nutrition (1 serve): 670 kj (160 cal) / carbohydrate (all low GI) 3.7 g

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

Mango Salad (with BBQ or cold cuts) (D)

2 large ripe mangoes

1 large cucumber

2 to 3 teaspoons lime juice

1 level tablespoon sugar

1 to 2 level teaspoons freshly grated green ginger (or more to taste)

Slice cheeks from mangoes, skin and slice flesh into strips. Skin and remove seeds from cucumber (I leave seeds in), slice and mix with mango. Shake remaining ingredients together, pour over salad and serve.

This salad is excellent as an accompaniment with ham etc on the (traditional Australian) Christmas Salad lunch table.

Try adding a sliced banana to this salad - especially when serving with fish. We particularly enjoy this combination with Barbecued Barramundi.

If there is any left, you can spoon out the remaining mango and have it with ice cream and/or cream for dessert. The marinated cucumber is great with yoghurt. You shouldn’t need to throw anything out!!!

See also the Savoury Mango & Strawberry Salad for an interesting variation.

Nutrition (1 serve): 256 kj (61 cal) / carbohydrate (mainly low GI) 13.6 g

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

Oriental Citrus Dressing (D)

Make up the marinade for Salmon With Citrus Marinade

Reserve some of the marinade and strain it after it has steeped for half an hour. Add about 2 tablespoons of the strained marinade onto a mixed green salad as a dressing. Toss well & serve

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

The Quickest Potato Salad in the World

2 x 425 g cans of baby potatoes washed and drained

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons prepared seeded mustard

Chopped chives or finely chopped shallots

Place potatoes in serving bowl. Put butter, honey and mustard in a heat proof container and gently warm until butter is just melted. Stir until well mixed and pour over potatoes. Decorate with chopped chives or finely chopped shallots. Chill until ready to serve.

Note: This salad will keep perfectly in the fridge for days, so the family can enjoy the leftovers!

- Shirley Carrigan

Savoury Mango & Strawberry Salad (D)

Ingredients

2 ripe firm mangoes

1 punnet strawberries

1 small red spanish onion

Dressing

1 tablespoon sugar

3 teaspoons grated ginger

Juice of 1 lime

Three Bean Salad

16 oz (450 g) can sliced green beans

2 x 10 oz (300 g) cans red kidney beans

16 oz (450 g) pre-cooked baby lima beans

1 red or green capsicum, thinly sliced

1 red onion, thinly sliced

 

Dressing:

½ cup sugar

½ cup white wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried mustard

¼ teaspoons dried Mixed Herbs

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Drain beans, add capsicum and onions. Combine dressing ingredients in a screwtop jar and shake well to mix. Drizzle dressing over salad. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Stir salad gently and drain off excess dressing just prior to serving.

Note: This salad is ideal for barbecues and parties. It will keep for days in the fridge and men love it!

Tomato & Bocconcini Salad (D)

Note: Bocconcini are small fresh white mozzarella cheeses sold loose in delicatessens. Use the egg sized ones if you can get them. Do not buy if they are showing dried yellow patches on them.

Ingredients:

4 - 6 Ripe red tomatoes sliced - we find that the hydroponic “truss” tomatoes have the best flavour

Red & green mignonette lettuce

3 - 4 Bocconcini, sliced

2 Green shallots, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ Cup good olive oil

¼ Cup red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1 Clove garlic, crushed

1 Teaspoon sugar

Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, crushed garlic, chopped basil leaves and sugar in a jar and shake well. Put aside.

Put lettuce leaves on a large flat platter. Top with tomato slices. Place sliced bocconcini on top of tomato. Sprinkle with shallots and then the grated parmesan. Shake dressing again and gently drizzle over the salad. Serve immediately.

Note: The dressing will keep for a while in the fridge. We usually make up enough for two servings and keep the remains for the next day or so. It’s delicious on other tomato salads as well.

Nutrition (1 serve): 945 kj (225 cal) / carbohydrate (mainly low GI) 4.0 g

(D) “suitable for diabetics”

- Women’s Weekly - Summertime Cookbook

Variations On The Lettuce & Tomato Theme (D)

Ingredients:

Either shredded Iceberg lettuce or a blend of Mesclun type pieces - “Restaurant Blend” (Woolworths) is about the best

Luscious truss tomatoes

Sliced crystal apple cucumbers or lebanese cucumbers

Thinly sliced fresh celery

Thinly sliced spanish onion

Dressing:

Finely chop a generous amount of fresh basil leaves with a serrated knife & scatter over salad

Crush ½ a clove of garlic (or more) & scatter over salad

Grate over with quality sea salt or Nepalese Rock Salt

Squeeze juice from half a lemon over salad & toss all together.

Now For Some Variations:

Add chopped fresh red capsicum to the salad mix - adds colour & flavour,

Substitute fresh oregano for the basil (or even dill if planning to eat with fish),

Add in about a tablespoon of drained & finely chopped capers for the perfect BBQed fish accompaniment, or...

Add in a couple of quality Dill Pickled Cucumbers thinly sliced & chopped fairly finely - our current favourite is Ulan “Khrustyashy” Ogorki Malosolne (short brined cucumbers) or Krakus Pickled Dill Cucumbers available from Russian Delight deli in the Centro Nerang Shopping Centre, Nerang River Plaza, Nerang. Add a little of the brine from the pickle jar to the salad to add a bit of extra flavour...

(D) “suitable for diabetics” - Perfect for diabetics or those on a low-fat diet