Buffalo tempeh and quinoa bowl

Tonight's meal was inspired by my favorite dish at my favorite vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Orlando. The restaurant is 45 minutes (and some tolls) away from us so I wanted to recreate the yumminess at home, and I think it turned out great! My version is not vegan like theirs, but is vegetarian because I couldn't really find a quick, easy way to make homemade blue cheese dressing, and that was an important element to me. If I  wasn't sick with a cold and taking care of a sick toddler as well, I might have tried a little harder to make it fully vegan but oh well! It was delish :)

Part 1: Buffalo Tempeh
(modified version of this lovely recipe)
Ingredients:
1 block organic tempeh
1 cup Frank's wing sauce
3 cloves fresh garlic
1-2 tbsp. Bragg's liquid aminos
4 tbsp. butter or earth balance

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut tempeh block into 1/2" thick strips. Bring a medium saucepan filled half way with water and the Bragg's liquid aminos to a boil. Boil tempeh pieces for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp. butter and spread 1/2 cup of the wing sauce into a 8x8" baking dish, mix in the melted butter and use a garlic press (or you could just mince it with a knife) to smash the garlic cloves and blend them into the sauce and butter mixture. Remove tempeh pieces from water and arrange in the sauce, turning to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping them over after 15 minutes. Mix up the remaining 1/2 cup of wing sauce and melt remaining butter and pour over top of wings (I also poured it all over my quinoa)

Part 2: Quinoa and Celery
Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup dry quinoa
5 stalks celery, chopped (you could also add some chopped carrots, they do in the restaurant version but I forgot to get them at the store)

Directions:
Rinse quinoa; bring water and quinoa to a boil. Turn heat down, simmer for 10 minutes, then add chopped celery and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Part 3: Blue Cheese Dressing
Ingredients:
4 oz. container organic blue cheese crumbles
4 tbsp. veganaise (or mayo if you prefer, I use veganaise because I'm allergic to the eggs in mayo and I like to use as many vegan ingredients as possible)
1/3 cup kefir or buttermilk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender on low speed for 20-30 seconds. If too thick, add water or milk until you reach desired consistency.

This made more than enough dressing for the recipe, but now I have some salad dressing for the rest of the week, fine by me!

Layer quinoa and celery in a bowl  with buffalo strips on top and pour on additional mixed wing sauce and blue cheese dressing. (Makes 4 servings) So good!