There are two types of people in this world: those who eat their crusts and those who don’t. Think about the last time you had pizza with friends or family. Invariably there are a few plates lying around after the meal is done littered with bite-marked crust ends, while others are clean and clear. And it’s not just pizza. Quiches, tarts and pies are crust-heavy as well, and not everyone is a fan. Fair enough, as crusts can be fat-laden or carb-bombs. But there’s a movement afoot to introduce healthier variations to mollify the haters.

Crusts serve a serious purpose: they are the foundation of many dishes. An essential structural component that also imparts texture—often crispy or crunchy—and flavor to what might otherwise be a flaccid flop. Of course, you can make tarts and quiches without one, but that would quickly get boring. And what’s a pizza without crust but a melted pile of cheese on tomato-pepperoni soup?

Bottom line, we love pies of all kinds. And we’ve established that crusts are cool. Now let’s talk about your many options for nutritiously jazzing them up.

Pizza

The pizza crust is important. We know that. It provides a canvas for your culinary artistry, which makes it an ideal food to try some variations on, especially if you’re interested in trimming your carb count. A great place to start is this zucchini crust, which starts with grated and chopped zucchini, adds almond meal, cheese and a few other ingredients. It’s healthy, green and tasty.

Another option that’s popping up everywhere is cauliflower pizza crust, a healthy variation on the traditional. If done right, it’s light and crispy and delicious. This recipe calls for one head of cauliflower, plus grated cheese, eggs and seasonings. Give it a try and let us know what you think.

Pie

Spring is in bloom and summer is just around the corner, which means fresh fruit is starting to ripen and delicious fruit pies will be finding their way to window sills near you. Why not try a healthy variation on the standard butter- or lard-laden crust? One option is to substitute olive or canola oil for butter, as in this recipe. You could also swap white flour for whole wheat, as in this pumpkin pie recipe. This oat-based option is also worth a try, providing a hearty ground floor to any kind of pie your want to construct.

Quiches and Tarts

There’s nothing like a quiche, fresh from the oven for a fairly easy spring dinner. Try a new take on the crust with this spinach and feta quiche with a quinoa base.

Or, if you want to go even further, try this crust made from white kidney beans. It packs a protein punch for any tart or quiche you want to cook up.

What’s your favorite way to make crusts more nutritious? Share your tips in the comments and on Twitter at @luvoinc