Spaghetti Squash Gratin with Basil

My friend Rachel posted on Facebook a few weeks ago that she was making this deliciousness for dinner for her family.  Well, you know if it has spaghetti squash I am all up on it, so I requested the recipe and Rachel was kind of enough to send it to me.  Here it is in it's original glory.

Yes, of course it's South Beach friendly or else I wouldn't be making it it.  Well...I guess technically the incorporation of the full fat cheeses isn't (Gruyere and Parmesan), but...ah...who's judging?  I could have subbed other cheeses - low fat varieties, but I decided to remain true to this recipe because both are strong flavored cheese that I happen to truly adore.

Here's what you need:
1 large spaghetti squash
1 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion
garlic
salt
pepper
3 eggs
1/2 cup skim milk (or...um..an alternative - see below)
fresh basil
2 oz (or more) Gruyere cheese
Parmesan cheese

So, first and foremost, I baked my squash.  I bought a big'n since I knew I needed 4 cups for this recipe, by the way.  For a reminder of how I choose to bake my squash, see here.  I did this earlier in the day so it had plenty of time to cool.

Later, I chopped up a medium white onion and added it to a frying pan with one TBSP of olive oil.  I didn't have any fresh garlic cloves on hand, so I just used minced garlic.  I don't have a tendency to measure my minced garlic, so I can't tell you how much I used.  I can tell you that I do like my garlic.  =)  I also added a pinch of salt.

 

While that was sauteing, I went ahead and cut open my spaghetti squash, scooped out the seeds (discarded), and then got my 4 cups of spaghetti strands out. I then chopped up the 4 cups into bite size pieces.  I added this to the frying pan with a bit more salt and some ground black pepper.

Next, I whisked 3 eggs with....wait for it...1/2 cup of vanilla almond milk.  Gross, right?  ha!  I totally forgot I cleaned out my fridge and threw out my this day expired milk because I'm a freak like that didn't have any skim milk on hand and I couldn't possibly fathom leaving the house, so vanilla almond milk (and crossed fingers that it turned out okay) it was!  In my defense, I do only buy the unsweetened almond milk, so that makes it better, right?!  ;)

Then I chopped up fresh basil - a lot cuz...um...I heart fresh basil - and added that to my egg mixture.  2 oz of shredded Gruyere was to be added next, BUT I'm pretty sure I added more than that.  ooops.

I sprayed a glass 2.75 qt. dish with Pam and added my spagetti squash/onion mixture first.  Next, I poured the egg/cheese mixture over the top and sort of stirred it all together.  I then topped it all with some shaved Parmesan and a bit more of the chopped basil and it all went in the oven on 375 degrees.

And then after 45 minutes I took it out of the oven and it looked like this:

mmmmm...

probably not the best plate for picture purposes, but...oh well