A Pinch of Care while Garnishing Food

Do you think there is any purpose in garnishing food? While at least some of you might feel it just appears like a decoration, actually, they do affect a diner’s experience of food. Some garnishes brighten the plate, a few others give an idea of what kind of flavour the meal holds, or it could be complementing the taste of the dish. Whatever is its effect, garnishing when done right is a bonus to your health.
One effect of garnishing, which we all have experienced is the visual appeal. You SEE food before tasting it and the garnish alter your appetite. You feel your mouth watering when you see a food beautifully garnished when compared to a plain dish which probably looks dull to eat.
Garnishes also improve the flavour of some food. Haven’t you seen lemon wedges served with seafood? They not only add colour to the plate but you can also use the lemon juice to flavour the dish. Yummy! Garnishes can be used as plate filler. Sometimes, even after the food is arranged, there will be lots of empty space on the plate. Garnishing can make the plate look like it holds abundant food. Of course, the actual amount of food will not change, but the perception of it does.
Healthy ways to garnish food
The purpose of garnishing food should not solely rest on ‘beautifying’ dishes but also be to a great extent to enhance health.
1) Cucumber
You can use cucumber as a low-calorie topping for several dishes. It has high water content and also contains important electrolytes. It is one of the most hydrating foods.
2) Tofu
You can use tofu to replace cheese and garnish it on your pizza or pasta. Possible ways of using tofu as a garnish includes, grating it on any dish or dicing it into small cubes for soup.
3) Walnuts
These can be used to sprinkle on yogurts, or just add them to porridge. Walnuts contain healthful fats, protein and fiber.
4) Tomato
Dice tomatoes into small pieces and add them to your dishes as a garnish. Tomatoes are an intensely nutritious food. They are rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene.
5) Pomegranate
You can try sprinkling a few pomegranate seeds in your favourite green salad. You can use it in desserts like ice cream. They even go extremely well with olives! Pomegranates are rich in Vitamin C, Potassium and fiber. It also contains a high number of antioxidants that help protect the body against inflammation.
6) Almonds
They can be used to garnish cake or thick milk shake and many other dishes. It is said that a handful of almonds, which is approximately 1 ounce, contains one-eighth of a person’s daily protein needs.
You don’t need to be an artist to know how to garnish. Eventually, you will know what to add as garnish, and how to garnish. Just remember that a garnish is not supposed to bury the main dish and so don’t arrange large piles on your food. Happy eating!