Spaghetti squash alfredo with oven baked garlic shrimp

This recipe is one that goes to show that low-carb can be just as savory as a full-carb meal!  Once again, I decided to utilize my favorite carb substitute vegetable- the spaghetti squash.  I was inspired by a few Food Network videos that I have been watching where shrimp is baked instead of sauteed or boiled-  I'd never tried it so join me for my first time.  And by the way, it turned out delicious.  This is specially great for those of you who don't want to give up your love for Italian by going low carb.  Its really the best of both worlds- delicious and lower calorie.

What you'll need:
-A medium sized spaghetti squash
-Alfredo sauce (I cheated, instead of making my own I just bought a jar from Trader Joes)
-A pound of shrimp, peeled and devained (this was a good portion with leftovers for two people)
-5 cloves of Garlic, chopped
-1 pack of sliced mushrooms (I used baby Bella)
-Fresh basil to top off at the end
-Olive oil
-Salt & pepper to taste

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.  Wash and cut your spaghetti squash lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and loose pulp with a spoon.  Drizzle each half with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper and place face down on a baking dish, adding a little bit of water to the dish to help steam the squash.  Place in the oven uncovered for about 45 minutes.  Squash will be ready when it easily scoops out into strands with a fork.  Be careful to not overcook the squash to prevent a 'mushy' texture.  Once the squash is cooked, scrape out the insides and place in a bowl, keep warm.

Crank the oven up to 400 degrees.  Toss the chopped garlic with the shrimp in a bowl, add the mushrooms and salt and pepper and drizzle olive oil over the shrimp, making sure everything is evenly coated.  Pour the contents of the bowl onto a baking sheet, spreading out evenly and place in the oven for 8 minutes. In the meantime, begin heating the alfredo sauce in a pot on the stove.

Once the shrimp is plump and cooked through, remove from the oven and toss into the warm bowl with the spaghetti squash.  Toss with serving tongs to evenly mix the squash with the shrimp and place into serving bowls.  Top with alfredo sauce and add chopped basil to garnish.

Bon appetit!