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Common Market
Adds Another
Low-Calorie Treat

Kathy Kurtz Ferrari
Staff Writer
11/4/10
There’s a new treat in town – or at least right next door – as the Common Market has introduced a healthy frozen yogurt soft serve choice to its menu at the Village Common Food Court, located at 110 Willard St. in Quincy.

The tasty treat is one of the new, low-calorie items available at the Healthy Kitchen, the newest section of the food court. A single serving of frozen yogurt is just 100 calories, with 3 grams of protein, no fat or cholesterol. It has live active cultures and probiotics. And the best part: It’s delicious!

With a hint of tartness blended with the usual sweetness of a regular ice cream treat, Healthy Kitchen’s frozen yogurt hits the spot for those with a sweet tooth, without the added guilt. And there’s a whole bar full of toppings available to customize a frozen treat for just about any palate, from healthy fresh fruit, to more indulgent M&Ms, cookie crumbles or other sweet add-ons. (I do think it’s defeating the purpose a bit to add a candy topping to something that’s supposed to be good for you.) I had one with fresh raspberries, and I can’t wait to stop by for another one soon.

Everything on the menu at Healthy Kitchen, including full lunch and dinner choices, is less than 500 calories. The menu lists all the nutritional information, including fat grams, cholesterol and protein.

I recently enjoyed a quick lunch at Healthy Kitchen and was pleasantly surprised when I ordered the Thai chicken wrap. It was a large portion and substantially filling and tasty. With just the right combination of grilled chicken, jasmine rice, carrots, crispy noodles, cucumbers topped with a spicy peanut sauce all wrapped in a low-calorie wrap, my meal was quite satisfying.

Common Market owner Greg McDonald and his staff have put a lot of time and energy into the new section of the restaurant, painstakingly trying out recipes and counting calories. McDonald feels that there is a trend toward healthier eating, with diners more mindful of nutrition information.

“It was kind of like my summer project,” McDonald said. “In the kitchen, we’d come out with different ideas and we’d have something we thought was perfect. We’d run the calculations [of calorie count] and it was maybe 650 calories. We wanted to really shoot for the 500 calories, so we’d go back and rework it, and tweak the recipe a little.”

Admitting he loved the project, he now realizes that many of his customers have been looking for more health-conscious choices. The newest section has become popular with many athletic customers mindful of nutritional intake, those watching their weight or who just want to eat healthier.

If you do stop by, make sure to try the frozen yogurt, which is just available in vanilla right now. (I suggest a nice fresh-fruit topping.) In the spring, Healthy Kitchen will debut a self-serve yogurt section.

“It’s really good, and it’s good for you,” McDonald added.

Healthy Kitchen, is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Take-out orders are available by calling (617) 471-3463.