Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Kabobs

These protein-rich kabobs provide the necessary amino acids to help build and repair muscles after active competition. Serve with brown rice to provide complex carbohydrates that replenish your tired athlete's energy.

Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce

These delicate cakes may crumble a bit while being formed but will firm up during frying. Alongside a leafy green salad, serve two cakes for lighter appetites or three for hungrier folks.

Thai Coconut Lime Chicken

Katie Taylor of Thornhill, Ont., was inspired to create this recipe with chicken after making it with mussels. She serves this with jasmine or basmati rice, to which she adds grated lime rind, chopped peanuts, butter, salt and pepper. Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass are available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.

Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Broccoli Couscous

Simple pantry ingredients make a flavourful sweet-and-sticky glaze for juicy chicken thighs. Feel free to use frozen broccoli for the couscous, if that's what you have on hand. (Psst, it's cheaper than fresh broccoli, and precut florets will cut down on prep time.) Cost: $3.50 per serving

Easy Oven-Baked Crispy Tofu

This tofu is so delicious and simple, you'll look for any excuse to make it. Serve as an appetizer or as a meatless main, either with a side of rice or stuffed inside a steamed Asian bun.

Shrimp Lo Mein

This popular noodle dish mixes shrimp with fresh veggies to make a quick dinner that's almost as easy as takeout. The terms for frozen shrimp sizes, such as jumbo or large, aren't standardized, so focus on the number of shrimp in each bag (here, 21 to 24 per 450 g bag) to ensure that they're the right size.

Shrimp Phyllo Spring Rolls

Serve these spring rolls with hoisin or plum sauce for dipping and a sprinkling of chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro for a Thai-inspired garnish.

Seafood Stir Fry

This bright, colourful array of seafood and vegetables is enticing. If you can get fresh water chestnuts, use 3/4 cup (175 mL) diced.

Vegetarian Watermelon Poke Bowl

It's not a picnic without watermelon. We've swapped the tuna in a traditional Hawaiian poke bowl for sweet, juicy cubes of the fruit and turned up the heat with chipotle and fresh ginger. This recipe makes extra dressing, so you'll have plenty for your next salad.

Gravlax With Bagel Chips & Dill & Caper Crème Fraîche