WeGo for Wellness Kicks Off Healthy Cooking Series at the Library

]: The sweet smells of zucchini bread wafted through the West Chicago Public Library last Thursday evening as the Library kicked off its “WeGo for Wellness” cooking series with “Breakfast that Rocks!” to a packed house.

Chef David Esau, owner of Dave's Specialty Foods in Mt. Prospect, cooked up healthy breakfast options the whole family can enjoy and shared the recipes for his fresh zucchini bread/muffins (his trick – make ‘em small!), Dave's Potato-Onion Hash, and how to make Omelets Like a Pro. Esau began his training at Dumas Pere l'Ecole de Cuisine in Glenview while working at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago, then continued his studies with Michael Chabran, a Michelin-rated chef, in Lyon, France. Returning to Chicago, he served as a chef de cuisine at D&J Bistro in Lake Zurich. He has also worked at Le Titi de Paris in Arlington Heights, Charlie Trotter's in Chicago, and the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

The Library's 12-week “WeGo for Wellness” series is intended to connect patrons to programs and activities designed to encourage healthy eating and lifestyle choices. The series includes walking groups, exercise programs, a healthy cooking series, as well as monthly wellness check-ins with a registered dietician. For information about the entire series, visit the Library web site at www.westchicago.lib.il.us.

This four-part cooking series continues on April 18 at 7 pm with “Mouth-Watering Mains.” Two more programs will be featured on May 2 and 16. All four cooking programs are supported by a Community Health Grant from Cadence Health.

“We welcome this opportunity to partner with Cadence Health to help build a healthy community in West Chicago,” said Administrative Librarian Melody E. Coleman.