Parsley: Garnish or Food

Growing up parsley was always the garnish that appeared on my plate in a restaurant, maybe next to a potato.  It was quickly dismissed as decoration and set aside.  Dried parsley leaves were used as flavouring, but not as food.

Fast forward twenty years and now I'm growing it in my own garden.  The realisation has set in.  Parsley is food.  Sure it's an herb.  But it is a fantastic addition to nearly every meal.  Here are three ideas to enjoy parsley.

1. Eat it raw...Pick it fresh from the garden and eat it on the spot.
2. Add it to your omelette.  After the egg is nearly ready to fold over add a handful of chopped parsley.
3. Put some on your sandwich.  Choose your choice of main, whether a type of meat or possibly humus (one of my favourites).  Add your choice of extras and be sure to include some fresh parsley branches. 

Besides the flavour of fresh grown parsley, this wonderful herb is full of nutritional value

"Parsley contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges, and twice as much iron as spinach. It's an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A and folate, as well. But parsley's nutrition advantages do not end there."

Parsley has now become a regular occurrence at our table.  If you aren't already enjoying the flavour and health benefits of parsley on a regular basis the good news is that it is easy to grown.  You can either grown from seed or buy seedings at your local nursery.