Long before I started making informed food choices, sushi nights with friends were one of my favorite things (I guess sake played an important role there), so recently I got pleasantly surprised trying the vegan version and discovering it tasted the same!
I realized that the typical sushi taste is not actually given by the fish but by the Nori seaweed sheet it’s wrapped in.

This reassuring fact comforted me that I could still have tasty sushi even by swapping its main ingredient for any fresh vegetable, sprouts or pate’- and gain in health too. Many people are led to believe that fish is somewhat a healthier alternative to meat. In reality, fish is not such a health food as it’s made to be*.
While the popular tuna is disappearing due to overfishing, salmon is mostly farmed in poor conditions and both are highly contaminated with heavy metals like mercury. Fish is very high in fat and has the same (unnecessary for us) cholesterol as meat*. The acidic protein of fish provokes calcium loss and contributes to osteoporosis.
Some experts also argue that the omega 3 from fish oil might not be as effective for our health, since we live in much warmer temperatures than cool water fishes. It is far wiser to use flaxseed (linseed) oil, composed of approximately 55% ALA- six times richer in omega−3 fatty acids than most fish oils .

* http://www.vibrancyuk.com/fishconceptions.html

* http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2003nl/030200pufishisnothealthfood.htm

While the traditional sushi with rice is pretty straight-forward, in my effort to reduce grains and maximize nutrition in my diet I wanted to take it to a further step and create a raw version.

In raw cuisine ground cauliflower is often used to replace rice, however this might be a bit too crumbly to wrap into an orderly sushi roll.
I solved this problem by adding some soaked sunflower seeds to the mix, as they taste neutral enough and make the raw “rice” soft and sticky like sushi rice. They also make the sushi nutritious and pretty filling even though it’s raw!

The humble cauliflower, on the other hand, is a nutrition powerhouse. It’s even been called “the medicine of the poor” for its fantastic properties. Cauliflower is very rich in vitamins C, K, and the B family, helps our body to get rid of toxins, contains a broad spectrum of antioxidant components and is a powerful anti-inflammatory food thanks to vitamin K and glucosinulates. This makes it a precious ally for fighting cancer and other chronic diseases.
Its high content in fiber is great to support a healthy digestion, and it has a decent amount of protein and even omega 3′s.

Ingredients:

-half head of medium cauliflower
-half a cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight

For filling:

avocado, sliced
red pepper, sliced
yellow pepper, sliced
carrot, shredded
These are just examples to make it nice and colorful, use any vegetable you like. Avocado is great fish replacement for its fatty texture.

Procedure:
Break cauliflower in small florets and process them in a food processor until crumbly but not totally pulverized. Add the soaked sunflower seeds and process a little more to incorporate.

Now you can start your sushi rolls. Spread a handful of the “rice” mix on a nori sheet, and add the vegetables in a row like this:

With the help of a sushi mat, roll into a firm roll. With a sharp knife, cut into about 4-5 little pieces.
Serve with a dip of soy sauce (possibly raw, or gluten free) mixed with wasabi paste/powder, and pickled ginger.
Enjoy!