You've got questions...
Q: Can you make something packaged, like cake mix or shake mix, safer if it contains milk? Say by diluting it with almond milk or rice milk if this will take away from the danger of it containing milk?
A: There is no way to make something with milk “safe.” Can you dilute cocaine to be safe? No, of course not. Milk, even in small quantities, is very bad. The good news is, you can easily make pancakes and cake without milk very easily (I have recipes in both cookbooks). If you don’t want to make it from scratch, there are several boxed brands that are dairy-free.
Q: I’ve lost too much weight on a vegan diet. Can you please give me some advice to put the pounds back on?
A: Two things. First, calculate your BMI and compare your height and weight to the charts for your sex and age. If you’re not below the healthy range, you don’t need to add weight. I remember Dr. McDougall saying in a lecture that people are often surprised at how much they lose — worried they’ve lost too much when they haven’t. Second, if you really DO need to add weight because you’re below the healthy range, make sure that you’re getting enough calories each day and if that’s not it, then start adding in some fats (like nuts, seeds, and avocado) and condensed calorie sources like dried fruits. See this post for more info on how to gain weight on a vegan diet (scroll to #4).
Q: Lindsay, My dogs are completely vegan now. What supplements do you give your babies?
A: If they're on home-cooked food, vegedog as a proactive measure and if they're on vegan kibble (i.e., V-dog), none. For more information, see my post on vegan dogs and Elisabeth’s post about vegan dog nutrition.
Q: I was wondering along the lines of baking soda in the shower (hair and body), what do you use for shaving cream? Is there an alternative or do you use the classic foams from the store?
A: I’ve never been able to afford those fancy shaving creams, but still have shaved legs ;) I just use soap. I buy a bar soap such as Dr. Bronners and soap up my legs before shaving. My husband is fanatical about using Burt’s Bees shaving bar for his sensitive face. Even if I could afford the fancy creams I’d skip them. Who knows what’s in them?! I like to keep it natural. Soap. Suds. Water. Go!
Q: How long would the Mayo and Ranch in HHC last?
Q: It depends on a number of factors: your fridge and climate, how "fresh" the tofu was when you made it, etc. When tofu goes bad, you KNOW it. It smells to high heaven and turns pink.
