Uguisumochi / warbler cake with sweet azuki paste

As plum blossom season approaches, this chubby oblong cake coated with green soybean flour starts to appear at sweets shops. The cake form symbolizes the spring songbird, uguisu, or Japanese warbler -- I wouldn't blame you if you don't see the resemblance in appearance, but once you put it in your mouth, the combination of soft outer cake and silky azuki bean paste inside reminds you of the tenderness of spring.

One cake (1/4 of recipe): 
110 calories; 2.5 g protein; 0.6 g fat; 24.0 g carbohydrate; 22.4 g net carbs; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.5 g fiber

Abekawamochi / rice cakes with sweetened roasted soybean flour

Also called kinakomochi, abekawamochi are heavenly soft rice cakes coated with a mixture of kinako soybean flour and sugar. Traditionally, mochi are baked then soaked in hot water to soften before coating with kinako. The abekawamochi I know from my childhood was always made with hot, freshly made rice cakes. Nowadays, individually packed square or round hard rice cakes are available for everyday use; here is a quick way to make a yummy and very filling snack.

1 abekawamochi (1/4 of recipe): 
135 calories; 2.8 g protein; 0.9 g fat; 28.0 g carbohydrate; 27.3 g net carbs; 1 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber

Nama yatsuhashi / cinnamon-flavored steamed rice cakes with sweet azuki beans

I first encountered nama yatsuhashi during a school trip to Kyoto, where this special treat was waiting for us at every ryokan inn and souvenir shop. Back then the cinnamon aroma was very exotic for junior high school students from a small town, and at first we were a bit surprised by this Kyoto confectionery. But as our trip continued, soon everyone was keen for more (free) nama yatsuhashi. Cinnamon-flavored soft rice cake wrappers taste so good in combination with the sweet azuki beans inside. This is one of a very few Japanese sweets Tom likes.