Nori Maki

To prepare tempeh, whisk the tamari, water, ginger, mustard and sesame oil in an 8-inch-square baking pan. Cut the tempeh in half horizontally, place in the marinade, and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, turning after the first 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and brush with canola oil. Place tempeh on baking sheet in a single layer, reserving marinade. Broil for 5 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Turn tempeh over and brush top with marinade. Broil for 5 more minutes, or until golden. Cool completely, and then cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips and set aside.

To prepare sushi, set a steamer basket in a large pot containing 1 inch of water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add carrots to basket and steam over high heat for 3 minutes, or until they soften.

Place 1 nori sheet, shiny side down, on a bamboo mat with one long side positioned closest to you. Spread 1 cup of cooked rice in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the top long side. Spread 2 teaspoons of umeboshi paste in a horizontal line across the rice. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds over rice. Arrange a single layer of baby spinach leaves over the rice, almost completely covering it; place some of the marinated tempeh strips horizontally across the middle of the spinach. Arrange 1/4 of the avocado, cucumber, carrots and green onions on top of the tempeh, and place 1/4 of the ginger slices over the vegetables. Using the bamboo mat and beginning at the long side closest to you, roll up the nori tightly, as for a jelly roll. Moisten the opposite long edge with water and seal the roll.

Repeat to make 4 rolls.

Using a moistened, very sharp knife, cut each roll into 8 slices. Arrange on a platter. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with ponzu sauce and wasabi paste.