You've got questions, I've got answers!
1. Is there a vegan ranch dressing powder?
Not that I know of, but you can buy commercial vegan ranch by Abby's Table or make your own using my recipe in HHC pg. 232.
2. I'm curious about how men keep their calories up on a plant based diet, especially when other restrictions are in place (like gluten-free, soy-free) that knocks some of the higher calorie, easy to grab and go foods out of play. Plant-based is easily low calorie for people wanting to lose weight but what about big boys who don't need to lose weight and their needs are 2000, 2400+ cals/day?
You'll need to add more high calorie and high fat foods to your diet -- more raw nuts and raw seeds, coconut and avocado. You also want to make sure you're eating healthy foods like brown rice, which are high in calories.
When I was a personal trainer, I had a client who couldn't seem to go beyond 90lbs. She was naturally very thin due to a high metabolism, but she was also very athletic -- a marathon runner. She wanted to get pregnant and her doctor thought she might have better luck if she'd gain 10 lbs. Within weeks of eating handfuls of raw almonds and cashews (her favorites) and adding avocado (which she loved!) she'd gained weight. She ended up having a baby and was a healthy, glowing mama her entire pregnancy.
3. Why are most soy products genetically altered? Where are the ones that aren't? What are some soy alternatives?
Usually there is a non-GMO label somewhere on the box or package. With the tofu I buy locally, it says "Non-GMO" right on the box. I'm not 100% certain but I believe all organic soy products are non-GMO.
There are many soy alternatives, depending on what you're looking for. There are nut and rice milks, chickpea miso, coconut-based yogurts and ice creams, daiya cheese, to name a few alternatives to soy. For some ideas on soy-free meals, check out my earlier post here.
Additionally, although soy is perhaps the most known plant food for being GM, Soy is not the only genetically modified (GM or GMO) product in our food system. Corn, papaya, zucchini, yellow squash, and sugar beets can also be GM.
4. I was going thru Everyday Happy Herbivore to write down a shopping list and I have a question. On page 167 is the Mardi Gras Beans & Rice, it says it is 608 calories. Why is there so many calories?
Rice and beans both have a lot of calories, and it's a very big portion.
