Fast Weight Loss: Tips and Tricks From Spa Cuisine

Presentation is critical at a spa for several reasons. Garnishes take up space on the plate tricking you into thinking that there's more food than there really is. If you're creating an at home spa experience for a fast weight loss program, then do what the experts do and use garnishes.

Contrasts between colors and textures, say a glistening ruby red strawberry against juicy orange slices set off by a dark green curly kale leaf increases the appreciation of the food. Thinly sliced lemon slices alternating with springs of Italian parsley is another easy to do garnish. A radish rose offset by three cucumber slices is a pretty bouquet. Use your imagination when garnishing a plate.

The garnishes don't have to be edible, although they shouldn't be toxic of course. Raw kale with its dark green ruffled leaves makes a lovely garnish but in its raw state it's too bitter to actually eat. Edible flowers make beautiful garnishes. A curled strand of lemon, grapefruit, or orange peal isn't edible, unless you're desperate, but does add scent from the essential oils in the peel and color to the plate.

Arrange the food artistically on the plate. For example: one chicken breast can be cut into three slices horizontally, or 6 slices vertically, and then overlapped on the plate. It looks like considerably more food. Place a fruit slice between each slice of chicken, or an herb sprig for even more color and appeal.

Whether it's a crystal glass with a slice of lime on its rim, a soup bowl with a paprika sprinkle or a dinner plate with wreath of herbs, garnishes are a spa standby.

Use undersized plates when serving spa cuisine, a lunch plate and a small salad bowl instead of a large dinner plate. Use a contrasting charger, a large oversized plate, under the lunch plate for a look of luxury. The servings will look like more. In the same vein, serve courses. Garnish each course. An appetizer, salad, soup, and entree take longer to serve and eat than an entree with a cup of soup. Your stomach needs 20 minutes to signal your brain it's full. If you serve an appetizer and then salad, by the time you're finishing the soup, your tummy is saying you've had enough, so you won't overdo on the entree. Keep portions tiny so you don't overdo the amount of food you're eating at the meal.

Take the time to use the good dishes, silverware and glasses. Seltzer water straight from the bottle is fine for slaking your thirst after a workout, but it is so much more elegant when served in a crystal glass and garnished with a mint sprig. And that's another trick. Use herbs to flavor the water without adding calories. Don't stick with just mint. Lavender adds a floral note, basil and tarragon add a taste of licorice. A cucumber slice with a bit of dill is a refreshing change from sweet beverages.

Use tips and tricks from the spa cuisine masters for your fast weight loss program.