Summarize:

You can't expect to build larger and stronger muscles unless you're giving your body the food it needs to increase muscle mass. To estimate how many calories you need to consume, multiply your body weight in pounds by 15-17 calories (e.g. if you weigh 170 lbs. multiply that by 16 to get a daily calorie intake of 2,720). If you aren't gaining the muscle mass you want after a few weeks, bump up your calorie intake by 10%. Look on bodybuilding websites or talk to bodybuilders to find out ways to get the calories you need for muscle gains. Make sure the foods you're eating are healthy and nutritious don't just load up on junk food and empty calories. Protein is the building block of muscles, so if you want to accelerate muscle growth you should eat 10-25 g of protein with each meal or snack. Lean chicken, lean beef and fish provide your body with the protein it needs to burn more calories and create lean muscle. Grass-fed beef also contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals in addition to protein that help the body build muscle, such as vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, and carnosine. You should aim to eat approximately 1 g of protein per pound of body weight. This means you'll have to adjust your protein intake as your weight fluctuates. If you don't eat meat, it may be more difficult for you to accelerate muscle growth, but it's not impossible. Even if you do eat meat, you should supplement your meat-based protein sources with those that are plant-based. Soybeans, nuts, and legumes are excellent sources of protein. Almonds, for example, are a good snack to eat before a workout and can be added to a fitness shake. Get organic foods if possible, or stick to those with little to no additives and preservatives. The fewer additives and preservatives the body has to break down, the more effective these foods will be at helping you build muscle. Carbs can give you energy while you're working out but the wrong carbs could result in blood sugar crashes that destroy all the work you've done to accelerate muscle growth. Look for low-glycemic carbohydrates such as apples, pears, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and beans. Read nutritional labels carefully and choose carbs that also are higher in fiber and lower in calories. Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3, fiber, and protein, while flaxseed oil does not contain fiber and is highly unstable. Flax seeds also contain a solid amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation in your body means your muscles won't be as sore after intense workouts, and also that they will recover at a faster rate. There's a reason the cartoon character Popeye ate spinach. Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach have a high nutritional content, low fat, and high soluble fiber, making them vital if you want to accelerate muscle growth. Leafy greens also have the added benefit of protecting your body from cancer and cardiovascular disease. Quinoa is a grain that has more protein and fiber than rice or oats, and also contains high amounts of manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous. You can choose from red, black, or white quinoa. Drinking water is perhaps the most important thing you can do to accelerate muscle growth. Sip water during your workouts, and drink a pint of water for every pint of weight lost through sweat. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, or more, to ensure your body is adequately hydrated before you exercise. Adequate hydration also ensures that your body can transport the nutrients you consume efficiently. Eating healthy foods won't help you much in terms of building muscle if those nutrients never reach your muscles.
Consume a surplus of calories. Eat a lot of protein-rich foods. Include plant-based proteins. Choose your carbs carefully. Use flax seeds rather than flaxseed oil. Consume a lot of leafy greens. Replace rice with quinoa. Stay hydrated.