Born and raised in the sunny island called Singapore, Yifeng identifies herself as a vegan on an eager hunt for wholesome, yummy-licious food. Besides prowling through the local (and, occasionally, non-local) food scenes, she also loves exercising and reading during her free time. Meatless Movement recently had a chance to chat with her.
As she documents her food reviews and travel experiences, she hopes that her blog will inspire you to lead a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for a happier you.
Please tell us more about yourself
Amateur food blogger – Nuts addict – Fitness enthusiast – Nature lover – Singapore
eatgrasswithme
Hello! I’m Yifeng, from Singapore! I am many things – a nature lover, a fitness enthusiast, a nut butter addict, a fridge and pantry scavenger, and an amateur food photographer with the help of my handphone. I’m the only vegan in my family, though I hope the rest will all join me soon. I like to post photos of vegan eats around Singapore on my Instagram @eatgrasswithme and share it with the world. During my free time, I enjoy experimenting with vegan recipes from bloggers I follow. I’ve had many epic food fails, but sometimes, I am a proud mother of my creation.
I have been vegan since Dec 2019. My transition towards veganism was a slow one. When I was 16 or 17, my friend was updating me about the life of one of our secondary school classmates. This classmate of ours was a vegetarian, and had decided to cut off dairy from her diet after watching a video of a mother cow being forcibly separated from her baby calf. At that time, I’d thought her actions were extreme. Where did her motivation to cut off dairy come from? What about… cheese?
There’s got to be a reason why I was feeling guilty eating meat
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I didn’t know it yet, but what happened to the cow and her calf in that video was not a solitary incident in the dairy industry, but a widespread, normalised practice. Cows were forcibly impregnated, and then had their calves are taken from them just so their milk can be used to feed the human race. The absurdity of this reality and of the needless mistreatment we do unto these innocent creatures didn’t fully sink in until years later.
In 2018, I went to South Korea for summer exchange. KBBQ was dubbed as one of the must-have food experiences, and I had numerous of KBBQ trips and ate many plates of of meat with my peers. Even back then, I knew, deep in my gut, that it was wrong to eat meat – I just never questioned why. I’d feel uncomfortable when I look at the rows of red-fleshed meat, lying there for my sake and the sake of my tastebuds. There’s got to be a reason why I was feeling guilty eating meat; the presence of guilt suggests that there is something fundamentally not right about my actions.
When I came back from South Korea, I acted on my intuition and cut out meat from my diet whenever I dine out. Deep down, I had always known that eliminating meat from my diet would generate a better outcome for the animals, the environment, and my health. I just never actively reflect on the implications of my actions on the world.
My body and mind are now thanking me for the switch
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A few months later, I stopped eating meat at home. I did my own research about and learnt more about the cruelty that goes on in the animal industry. To ensure that I remain at my optimal health, I also researched where I can get my nutrients from on a plant-based diet. Aside from egg, cheese was the hardest to part with during my transition. But I can no longer use sensory pleasure as a justification to feed my dollar to an industry that causes unnecessary suffering to sentient beings, wrecks havoc to the environment and… gives me acne. 😆 There was a lot of learning to do during my journey, but I eventually cut off all animal and animal-based products from my diet, and I can easily say that it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
I wish it hadn’t taken me this long to go vegan, but my body and mind are now thanking me for the switch.
In Their Own Words: The Challenges Of Being Vegan
I am grateful that my family respects my dietary change, and I have a group of supportive friends. At the start, I was honestly hesitant to suggest to my non-vegan peers / colleagues to dine somewhere with vegan option, because I was worried of inconveniencing someone. To those who face the same hesitation as me, I’d encourage them to speak up. Although we live in a pre-dominantly non-vegan society, people are more open-minded and accepting of differences than we think.
I love dining out!
eatgrasswithme
I’m often wow-ed by the plant-based options that restaurants/cafes offer. Here are some of my favourites:
Lucky Cat:
Avocado Maki
Privé:
- Linguine Mushroom ‘Carbonara’
- Mexican Burrito Wrap
- Truffled Mushroom Swiss Burger w/ Papa’s plant protein patty
- Moist Red Velvet Cake
Genius Central:
- Eggplant Balls
- Falafel Bowl
- Mexican Vegan Fajitas Wrap
- Vegan Chocolate Mud Cake
Well Smoocht:
- Grilled Mushroom Panini
- Pulled Jackfruit Pizza
Kind Kones:
- no bake peanut butter cheesecake w/ oreo ice-cream
- ice-cream; black forest and almond brittle fudge
Greendot:
Vegan Chicken Rice
I started to be more conscious of the food I’m putting into my body
One of the commonly asked questions that I’m sure many vegans faced is: “Where do you get your protein?” It surprised me when people asked me this question, for it shows how reliant we are on meat for our protein intake, when protein options are aplenty on a plant-based diet.
I’d just tell them as it is where my protein comes from: tofu, tempeh, legumes, chickpeas, beans, nuts, seeds.
Some have also commented my diet as being “restrictive”. Becoming vegan is the opposite of restrictive for me. I’ve started spending more time in the kitchen, delving into plant-based cooking and baking, which opened a world of possibilities to me. I get to experiment with different culinary flavours and become more creative with the ingredients available to me.
Becoming vegan also meant I started to be more conscious of the food I’m putting into my body. Some junk food can also be vegan, but the vegan diet made me more aware of eating whole foods plant-based. Being vegan helped me to get into a healthier state.
When I’m healthier, I’m also happier
eatgrasswithme
Some might also think that you have to be an animal lover to be vegan – that is not the case. You don’t need to be an animal lover to recognise that all animals should be given the same moral consideration as human beings and should be treated with respect. You don’t need to be an animal lover to stop fuelling an industry that causes needless pain and suffering. Rather, you just need to realise that animals are, like humans, sentient beings, and capable of feeling pain. This realisation has also given me the push I needed to make a change.
How to Ease Into Meatless Eating
You only focus on how your life is going to change from this point on. The trick, for me, was to take it one meal at a time. When I was still a vegetarian, I didn’t know what my next meal would be. All I decided, back then, was that my next meal will be vegan.
eatgrasswithme
brb chewing on grass 🌱🐄
Personal blog
😜 full-time fridge scavenger
🌿 plant-based since 2020