Meet Maria (and Josh!)

 
Today, it’s a special two-fer at the Tasty Kitchen Blog: not only will we get to meet Maria of TwoPeasAndTheirPod, but we’ll also be meeting her husband Josh, the other half of “The Cooking Couple.” Aren’t they a cute pair?

Maria Lichty is an Illinois native who moved to Utah for college. There, she met Josh, and what started as a solid friendship eventually led to their beautiful June wedding in 2008. You can tell from reading their blog Two Peas and Their Pod that they share a passion for food, and they are obviously a great team in the kitchen. They love to cook and bake together, and Josh’s skill with bread doughs, pizza crusts, pasta, etc. means Maria gets to call him her “dough boy.” (He does the dishes too, folks. What a guy!)

Maria is currently a health educator for Healthy Utah, the worksite wellness program for the state, and she and Josh enjoy many outdoor activities together. So it comes as no surprise that they try to keep things healthy. But Maria is quick to point out that they do leave room for sweet treats, as evidenced by the 70+ cookie recipes on their blog. She followed that up with an “oops!” but I think many will agree that “yay!” might be more appropriate. Especially since the Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies in the photo above are only a hint of how good her cookie creations are.

Maria and Josh entered the world of food blogging almost by accident. Josh had his own blog when they first started dating, writing mostly about his outdoor adventures, family photos, and political views. But since they spent so much time in the kitchen together, Maria began sharing some of their recipes and photos online. Encouraged by friends and family, she continued posting more recipes and photos, until they eventually found themselves with a full-time food blog. Which is a wonderful thing for all of us, because not only do they share great recipes with everyone, but they also offer glimpses of their beautiful family, and the undeniably deep and unselfish love that they all have for one other. (For example, did you know that her father personally prepared, by hand, 400 tiny tarts for their wedding?)

So, before we ask Maria some questions, let’s take a quick look at some of the recipes that both she and Josh have shared with us here at Tasty Kitchen. They really have a knack for making healthy look sinfully good.

From left to right: Black Bean, Avocado, and Mango Salad with Cilantro and Lime; Vegetable Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce; and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Agave Nectar and Fresh Rosemary.

 
 
Q: What do you enjoy most about cooking?
A: My creative juices come alive in the kitchen. I also love sharing food and recipes with others. Food brings people together in the most enjoyable way.

 
Q: Any favorite chefs or food celebrities? Who inspires you?
A: My dad inspires me in and out of the kitchen. He taught me how to cook and bake when I was a little girl. There was always something tasty cooking or baking in our kitchen. My friends used to come over to see what Parry was whipping up next. My dad is famous for his cinnamon rolls. They are the best!

 
Q: If you had to eat something right now, and had only 3 minutes to get it ready, what would it be?
A: Cereal. I try to avoid packaged/processed foods, but we both love cereal. We might even be addicted. I eat oatmeal for breakfast everyday, but I do enjoy cereal for a snack or dessert. We stock up when it is on sale—we may or may not have over 75 boxes right now.

 
Q: What ingredient/kitchen technique/method gives you the most trouble?
A: Macarons! Josh can’t eat them because he is allergic to nuts, but he was obsessed with mastering them. He even made his own powdered sugar to try and get them right. We finally got them down and I made some for our wedding. Yes, I did all of the baking for our wedding, but that is another story. It was so much fun.

 
Q: What is your favorite kitchen tool?
A: I love my KitchenAid Mixer. She is my best friend in the kitchen, besides Josh.

 
Q: What food item do you always make at home and never buy at the store anymore?
A: Yogurt. I started making my own yogurt about 6 months ago. I love it! It is easy, healthy, and a lot cheaper than buying it from the store.

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Thanks for answering our questions, Maria! You are as nice as they come, completely genuine, and beautiful inside and out.

If you want to know more about Maria and her beloved dough boy Josh, check out their blog, Two Peas and Their Pod. And if you browse the wedding section, be sure to take a peek at their awesome wedding cake. If not for the fact that it had chocolate inside it, I don’t know if I would have been able to cut that gorgeous cake.