'Ten Things You Need to Eat' recipes

Whole Wheat Triple Tomato Pizza

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup very warm water (about 110oF)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• About 1 cup Marinara Sauce
• About 16 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, roughly chopped with the oil
• 2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
• 4 large plum tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water and let stand until all the yeast has dissolved and the mixture starts foaming. Add the olive oil and pour the yeast mixture into the flour. Use a fork to combine the two until a loose dough forms.
3. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Place the kneaded ball of dough into a large, well-oiled mixing bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
5. Place a large baking sheet in the oven (or use two to cook two pizzas at a time) and heat the baking sheet for at least 10 more minutes.
6. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and divide the dough evenly into 4 parts. Roll each part into an even disk, about 8 inches in diameter.
7. To make a pizza, spread about 1/4 cup of the marinara sauce onto a disk of dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch edge. Scatter a quarter of the sun-dried tomatoes over the sauce, then 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, followed by some sliced tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon each of the hot red pepper flakes and dried basil, and finally a good drizzle of olive oil.
8. Use an oven mitt or kitchen towel to remove the hot baking sheet from the oven, place the assembled pizza on it, and return it to the oven to cook for 15 minutes, until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Garnish the pizza with some freshly grated Parmesan and cut into slices to serve. Repeat for the remaining 3 pizzas.

Chocolate Beet Mini-Cakes

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1/2 pound red beets, boiled, peeled, and finely grated
• 1/2 cup yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 18-muffin tin with foil cups.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in one bowl and the remaining ingredients in another.
3. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Fill each muffin cup half full with the mixture.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a mini-cake comes out clean and the mini-cakes start to pull away from the sides of the tin. Cool before serving.
5. Muffins will keep for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Linguine and Quinoa Meatballs with Tangy Tomato Sauce

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 large carrot, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• One 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, with juices
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, very
• finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound linguine
• 1 large handful fresh basil leaves

1. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and red pepper flakes and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar and simmer for 20 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to keep warm.
2. To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the canola oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, partially covered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, quinoa, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, pepper, and cooled onions. Stir until a smooth, homogenous mixture has formed.
4. Roll the meat mixture into 2-inch balls and set them on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet in neat rows. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned but still soft to the touch.
5. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the linguine al dente. Serve the pasta with some meatballs and the sauce and top with a sprinkling of torn basil leaves.