Photo by SweetOnVeg.

Because there’s a much better way of jazzing up your java, foregoing all that sugar and fat—not to mention the hefty price tag.

Try making a Mocha-Tofu-Banana Smoothie at home instead of lining up at the coffee shop for a sugar-laden frap or mochaccino—here are some of the benefits:

It’s high in fiber, low in calories and relatively low in sugar.

It’s a nutritional powerhouse, containing healthy, non-saturated fats, leafy greens and high doses of vitamin A (nice skin!), C (no sniffles!) and E (healthy hair!).

It’s hearty enough to replace a meal and contains enough caffeine to kick your ass when you’re feeling sluggish.

It’s yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 85 g silken tofu
• 1 large banana
• 1-2 tbsp ground mocha java coffee blend
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup baby spinach or baby bok choi

Malin Bergman is an ashtanga yogi, indie film and music aficionado, often-cheating vegan and failed ballerina, who sleeps like a starfish and refuses to accept that Pluto is no longer a planet. She loves green figs, anything crochet, horses, Coney Island, second-hand book stores and the guy who plays piano in Washington Square Park. She seldom leaves her house without giant shades, a mug of black coffee and her Chinese Crested darling dog, Angel. Connect with her on Twitter and/or New York City Snippets.

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