Very "Green" St. Patty's Day Sushi

So I'd like to say that I started out to intentionally make a St. Patrick's day dish, but I'd be lying. The truth of the matter is that I started making rice with the idea in mind that I would make sushi. Then after it was almost done I looked in the fridge only to find that I barely had anything left in the fridge. All I had left was a little kale, asparagus and a quickly turning sad bag of basil. I also have a ridiculous amount of pumpkin seeds in the house at the moment, so I thought maybe it would be a good time to try one of the nut cheeses in sushi! The results I must say were quite yummy, and the fresh sprouts from my garden kind of looked like mini shamrocks so I decided to post it as a St. Patty's day recipe! The rolls are decidedly green, so even though sushi is Japanese it's still festive right? It's hard for us vegans out there on days when your mother-in-law seems to have forgotten you don't eat meat and asks if you'd like to come by for corned beef. I will post a more traditional Irish recipe one of these days, but its currently in the 90s in Los Angeles, so recipes that don't heat up the oven are ideal ;p

St. Patty's Day Sushi
For the rice:
2 cups short grain white rice
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tsp vegan sugar

For the Sushi:
5-6 nori sheets
5-6 asparagus stalks (ends trimmed)
1 carrot, chopped thinly
5-6 small kale leaves
A handful of sprouts (I used arugula and sunflower)

For the Spicy Sauce:
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
A handful of fresh basil
1/2 cup lemon juice or water
1 tblsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic

Cook the rice according to package directions (I used 2 cups rice to 3 cups water). Heat the rice vinegar in a seperate pot. Once boiling, add the sugar and cook/stir until dissolved, set aside to cool. When the rice is done take it out and cool it. Once cool add the vinegar mixture and mix completely. Set aside.

In a blender combine all the spicy sauce ingredients and pulse until smooth. Set aside.

Lay out a sheet of nori, cover with rice (see my other Sushi post for more detailed instruction) Add a line of the spicy sauce across the top. Then follow with asparagus, sprouts and kale. Roll, cut and serve! Delish!