Spectacular Seaside Scenery and a Side Salad

I've just got back from a fabulous week's holiday in Dorset. My hubby and I hired a cottage down there with the idea that we'd take the opportunity to chill out for a week. However our 'chilling out' turned into an exuberant exploration of the Dorset coast and we ended up walking  for miles along the hilly South West Coastal Path to take in some of the most spectacular parts of the Jurassic Coast. The breathtaking scenery was made even more beautiful by the gorgeous weather we had - we were so lucky - although the heat did make our walking a bit of a challenge at times.

Alas! All good things must come to an end and I'm home now with all the delights that a return from holiday bring - a basket full of washing to do and a cat that's really grumpy for having been left in the cattery for the past week!

I'd like to share some of my favourite photos from my hols along with a recipe for an easy and refreshing green salad with a creamy basil dressing that's perfect for a warm summer day when slaving over a hot stove just isn't an option - I'm glad to say we had a few of those!

Green Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Any combination of green salad vegetables will go well with this. I used little gem lettuce leaves, avocado, lightly cooked peas and cucumber.

For the dressing:
3tbsp mayonnaise
1tsp white wine vinegar
juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

Method:
1. Mix together the mayonnaise, white wine vinegar and lemon juice until well combined. Stir in the chopped basil and add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Arrange the salad in a serving bowl, pour over the dressing and toss until the salad is well coated with the dressing.

3. Serve.