By day he is a Facility Maintenance Manager, but King County employee Ameer Faquir is also a trained chef. So when the CSA @Work program was offered in his building, he was excited to try it. Below he shares his favorite meals and other healthy habits.
What do you do for King County?
I am the Facility Maintenance Manager for Facilities Management Division (FMD). I manage the overall facility maintenance operations for the approximately 35 FMD managed facilities, including security and access control, tenant improvements, custodial and customer service functions for FMD.
Had you participated in any CSA program before joining King County’s CSA @Work program?
I have not participated in any CSA program before and heard about it from a Snoqualmie Valley Co-op representative who attended an Admin Plaza function. My attraction to this program is tied to my joy of cooking. I am a trained chef and love to cook healthy and tasty meals utilizing produce that is sustainably harvested and at its peak.
What are some of your favorite meals to prepare?
I have a lot of favorite dishes, so it’s hard to say….let me categorize them:
- Breakfast: Frittatas that are prepared with as many fresh veggies as possible, especially mushrooms.
- Lunch: Some sort of salad with a variety of leafy green veggies, contrasted with something healthy and crunchy like dried fruits and homemade garlic croutons or two varieties of nuts…meat is totally optional.
- Dinner: Well, all-time favorites include Syrah-braised short ribs, with garlic and truffle infused mashed potatoes, topped with spinach and wild mushrooms. Or something less involved and fairly quick: Pan-seared duck breast with some type of gastrique to kick up the already flavorful duck breast.
How do you otherwise stay healthy (physical activity, stress-reduction, etc.)?
I eat mostly fresh and/or organic foods and my wife and I prepare most of our meals at home. I work out 4-6 times a week, and am an avid runner who participates in a couple of marathons a year.
I didn’t mention stress reduction, as I feel a healthy and balanced lifestyle will naturally reduce or mitigate the potential unhealthy stress people are exposed to every day. So I’ve tried to make all of the things itemized above as a way of life so it becomes how I live, versus start-up and stop efforts.
Do you have a healthy habit to share? We want to hear about it! Email us at healthyincentives@kingcounty.gov