PULLMAN — Sipping her smoothie, a customer provided a review at Larissa’s Apron Green in Pullman.

“I like it,” she said of the blend of blueberries, kale and pea protein. “It doesn’t need any sugar.”

The feedback is exactly how the business’s owner, Larissa Seeber, hopes customers will respond to the smoothies, fresh juices, salads and bowls she makes.

Customers can customize their orders, as the woman drinking the smoothie did, or choose combinations on the menu.

A cold press juice called “Crimson Love,” a bowl named “Pink Paradise” and a salad dubbed “The Classic” are big sellers, Seeber said.

“Crimson Love” ($7) sparks nostalgia among its fans and not because of the reference to Washington State University’s colors, she said.

The mix of beets, carrots, ginger, apple and lemon reminds people of dishes they’ve eaten at their mothers’ or grandmothers’ houses, she said.

The cold press process she uses for all of the juices extracts more juice and nutrients from fruits and vegetables than alternative methods, Seeber said.

The “Pink Paradise” bowls ($14) include common ingredients like bananas along with more exotic ones like dragon fruit and bee pollen, which some believe boosts immunity, Seeber said.

Dragon fruit grows on cactuses and tastes like a combination of pears and strawberries.

The bowls were introduced just a couple of weeks ago and are already popular. They have the same benefits as smoothies, only they’re more filling and take longer to eat, which allows people more of a chance to savor them, she said.

“The Classic” salad ($16) started out as a special, but it went over so well that it became a standard part of the menu. The salad is comprised of greens, blanched peas, asparagus, radishes, avocado, pistachios and feta, then topped with a house-made dressing.

“It has a bright vinaigrette with lots of herbs in it,” Seeber said. “It’s got chives, basil and mint blended with oil and some vinegar. The combination of the herb dressing, with the crunch and the blanched vegetables really give it a boost. It tastes great.”

Seeber based her recipes on what she makes for herself and her husband and children at home.

She perfected the concept out of a commercial kitchen before moving this year to 1880 Terre View in commercial space at an apartment complex near WSU and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. The hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This is her second eatery. Her first opened in 2021, specialized in Indian food and was partly a distraction for her during the pandemic.

Because of the restrictions in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, initially she accepted orders online and prepared the food at a commercial kitchen before shifting to catering and special events.

About a year ago, she decided to go in a different direction. “I wasn’t getting much traction with the Indian food,” Seeber said. “It was going well, but it wasn’t working well for our family.”

The dishes at Larissa’s Apron Green provide an alternative to traditional fast food, she said.

“There’s people who want healthy food with easier access,” she said. “It’s made to order, but it’s fairly quick.”

Pullman food truck brings the beef

PULLMAN – Making a delicious beef sandwich requires excellent meat and the right cooking technique.

That’s the philosophy of Anthony Walls and his wife, Marie Perry, who recently opened Beef & Co., a Pullman food truck.

Much of the meat in the dishes comes from the Weekes family ranch in LaCrosse, Wash., Walls said.

The tri-tip steak is vacuum sealed then simmered in water for 36 hours at 130 degrees in a process that results in tender meat that’s cooked medium, he said.

The steak forms the base for all six sandwiches ($17.95 apiece) on the menu. The “Original” with grilled onions, provolone cheese and horseradish and the “Hatch” with roasted Anaheim chilis, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese and garlic aioli are customer favorites, Walls said.

Beef & Co. is located on N. Grand Ave. in Pullman immediately north of NE Whitman Street in the same lot as a Hispanic food truck. Its hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In November, it will move to a new spot on SE Latah Street that has more protection for the winter.

Opening Beef & Co. follows years of Walls perfecting his skills cooking for family, friends and co-workers.

Among fans of his food were the staff of a car dealership where he supervised all of the service representatives who worked with customers having repairs completed on their vehicles.

His co-workers raved about the prime rib he made for the annual Christmas party as well as the burgers he grilled for barbecues.

Those compliments prompted him to open the food truck when he decided to make a career change.

One of the great things about Beef & Co. is that his customers are excited and happy when they receive their orders, Walls said.

In the car repair business, customers are often angry or resigned, understanding that they have to spend the money on whatever is required to fix their vehicles so they’re not stranded without transportation, he said.

Perry helps with the financial and marketing parts of the business. She also pitches in on food prep at busy times. She’s continuing to work full time at a bank.

SEL plans on hiring 240 more employees in area

PULLMAN – Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories is hiring about 240 employees who will work in Pullman, Lewiston and Moscow.

The openings are for hardware, software and power engineers as well as a variety of roles in the company, according to a recent news release from SEL, which is headquartered in Pullman.

SEL is “delighted” to be growing “next door” to land-grant institutions such as Washington State University in Pullman and the University of Idaho in Moscow, said SEL President Ed Schweitzer in the news release.

“We’re addressing challenging problems head-on: How can we reduce the risk of wildfire?” Schweitzer said. “What is inherently safe cyber? How can we change the complex and expensive into better, cheaper and simpler?”

The addition of the positions in north central Idaho and southeastern Washington is part of an expansion that includes adding 24 jobs to its staff in West Lafayette, Ind., and 136 positions in the United States and around the world.

Right now, SEL employs 2,500 in Pullman, 855 in Lewiston, 130 in Moscow and another 3,100 in the United States and around the world.

SEL invents, designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. The technology prevents blackouts and enables customers to improve power system reliability and safety while lowering costs.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.