Before Carmen Perr was sharing garden-to-table recipes with millions of people, she grew up in a busy household with lots of mouths to feed."I grew up eating fast food," Perr, the youngest of six children, told Fox News Digital.Now a Los Angeles-based creator known as Carmen in the Garden, Perr began honing her green thumb more than a decade ago while working in real estate acquisitions.AMERICANS ARE MAKING COSTLY GROCERY MISTAKE EVEN BEFORE ENTERING THE STORE, EXPERT WARNS"I started gardening in my first corporate job as a way to cope with stress and anxiety, and I started with just a few potted herbs," she said."I didn't know what I was doing, but then it slowly grew over time."Carmen Perr’s forthcoming cookbook, "Cook What Grows," features 100 seasonal recipes and gardening advice for everyday cooking.
(Emily Ferretti)Eventually, as she gained more space, her garden expanded to include fruits and vegetables, prompting her to learn how to cook with ingredients she had never used before.FROM YELLOWSTONE TO YOSEMITE, NEW COOKBOOK REVEALS RECIPES INSPIRED BY AMERICA'S MOST ICONIC PARKS"I had never cooked an artichoke until I grew one," she said.Perr says she started gardening with a few potted herbs while working in real estate acquisitions.(iStock)Those lessons paved the way for her forthcoming debut cookbook, "Cook What Grows: Seasonal Recipes & Gardening Wisdom for Everyday Eating."Perr said the book's roughly 100 recipes aim to "spotlight fresh produce in super flavorful but attainable ways."GROCERY SHOPPERS MAY BE RELYING ON A 'MISLEADING' CLUE WHEN CHOOSING HEALTHY FOODS"I think that there's a big misconception that eating seasonally has to be expensive," Perr said.
"But when you go to a farmers market or your local grocery store, typically what's in season is the more inexpensive option."Perr said she had never cooked an artichoke until she grew one in her garden.(iStock)She recommends using your senses to guide your produce picks: Look for vibrant co...