These sweet little bites were made using a Martha Stewart recipe for Almond Torte.  This recipe just may be the perfect vehicle for lemon curd, so I make it often to save myself the embarrassment of eating the curd directly from the jar.

It's a quick preparation, and results in light, moist, nutty mini cupcakes.  So, to celebrate the first signs of spring, I wanted something green, so I went with a Matcha green tea buttercream frosting.

I picked up some culinary grade Matcha tea on a recent visit to a special little shop in Halifax, The Ikebana Shop. This spot is a real gem, classes and demos in Ikebana are offered, as well as a beautifully curated selection of items for the home.

Gluten free and full of antioxidants, that makes these cupcakes healthy enough for breakfast in my estimation.

• 1.5 cups Marcona almonds
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Process almonds with 1/4 cup sugar until finely ground, set aside. With electric mixer, whip egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Continue to beat mixture while adding remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, two tablespoons at a time. Whip until stiff but not dry, and the mixture holds nice glossy peaks. Add almond extract and whip briefly. Next, gently fold in the almond/sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Spoon or pipe into paper lined mini muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes.  Once cool, frost with buttercream flavored with Matcha tea. I followed this recipe from Amy's Food Adventures, halving the Matcha.

Check out La Tartine Gourmande and Cannelle et Vanille for loads of gluten free recipes and beautiful photography. These talented ladies have both recently published cookbooks worth a look as well.