When I prepare a meal I not only want it to taste good, but I also want it to look good - colorful, with complementary textures on the plate.  You can think of your dinner plate as a clean canvas and build from there.  Lots of times, when I go to the market I don't really know what I want, so I usually start in the meat or fish aisles (there are vegetarian nights, too). 

Think of the meat or fish as your sketch, the item to which you will add flavor, texture and color.  I might have a herb in mind that I want to pair with the fish (flounder, say), from there I go to the vegetable section.  So tarragon is my herb of choice. Because it is delicate, with a distinctive taste and smell, you want to look for a vegetable that doesn't have a significant taste of its own but is crying out to be complemented by something.  Say mushrooms, ah, but mushrooms on their own don't have great presence on a plate...better add some zucchini  and onion.  Remember when sautéing, keep some texture in the veggies, because we want to feel what we chew.  For more color and texture, add some sun-dried tomatoes or capers along with the tarragon just prior to plating.

For extra flavor, take most of the tarragon (saving some for garnish) and make tarragon pesto:

In a food processor, blend:
1 small clove of garlic
1/8 cup pecans
add tarragon
2 T  grated parmesan cheese
virgin olive oil
S&P to taste
.
Place veggies on center of plate, and put sautéed fish fillets on top, add a dollop of pesto to the flounder and  serve.

About me:

In a former life I worked as a professional cook in several restaurants in the Boston area.  While I still enjoy cooking for family and friends, I try to make meal time easy and stress free, but still tasty.