Salt

Cooking requires practice — and, let's face it, encounters with more than a few mistakes. When something goes terribly wrong very quickly, it doesn't mean all is lost. In a new series, we offer advice to help you salvage the accidents you face along your cooking journey.

We've all experienced that dreadful moment when all you can taste in a sauce is salt. Whether you reduced the sauce to a thick sludge or went a little salt happy toward the end of cooking, try to fix it with these tips before you nix it.

The antidote depends on the nature of the sauce: for French cream- or butter-based sauces, add more cream or a little brown sugar to neutralize the salt. With tomato-based sauces, brown sugar creates a sweet counterpoint. And for a lighter sauce, such as an herb-based one, squeeze in a little lemon; its acidity will help to balance out the saltiness.

The same goes for the state of the sauce, too. If a sauce has been reduced too much, then dilute it (and its sodium level) with unseasoned stock. Adding wine is another option, although it's a little tricky; if the alcohol does not cook out entirely, then the sauce will become bitter. If you choose to add wine, then be prepared to simmer the sauce for a while until the alcohol burns off.

Have any other kitchen disasters that need a quick solution? Write us in the YumSugar Community so we can help rescue you!

Cooking requires practice and definitely learning from mistakes. When something goes terribly wrong very quickly, it doesn't mean all is lost! We're introducing the Rescue Me! series, in which we offer advice to help salvage the accidents you face along your cooking journey.

Sometimes seasoning dishes with too much salt is inevitable — whether the salt shaker top suddenly plops into the pot, sending a rush of salt into your beloved stew, or you just went a little overboard. It happens to everyone, and there's no need to toss your hard-earned work before trying out these quick fixes to salvage stews and soups.

Save soups and stews by diluting them with unseasoned stock, so the flavor isn't lost — only the saltiness! If you don't have any stock at hand, water will do. Or try the potato technique: cut a few potatoes into large chunks, let them simmer in the pot for 15 minutes, and then remove them after they have absorbed the salt. Other starches work wonders, too: toss in unseasoned grains, noodles, or white rice. In stews, the starches will maintain the thickness of the stew, while absorbing unwanted saltiness. As for soups, if you don't want grains floating around, try pureeing cooked white rice in stock or water and adding it to the soup. Or opt for potato flakes, which will dissolve.

Have any other kitchen disasters that need a quick solution? Then write us in the YumSugar Community so we can help rescue you!

By now you're probably familiar with MyPlate, the government's new food pyramid replacement; in case you hadn't heard, based on the updated guidelines, Americans are consuming far more sodium than they should. And new research suggests that overconsumption of salt affects cognitive function. High blood pressure, water retention, and stupidity? That's too much to bear. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to cut down on salt in the kitchen without impacting the deliciousness of your dinner. See a few easy steps, when you keep reading.

Salt is one of those essentials in any kitchen, and it can take any dish from OK to amazing with just a quick sprinkle! This holiday season, spend just a few hours making your very own flavored salts for an easy edible gift. The process is simple and the possibilities as to the flavorings are pretty endless. I made three different varieties including roasted garlic salt, meyer lemon salt, and shiitake salt.

The roasted garlic and meyer lemon salts both took a little longer to make, but the shiitake one's incredibly simple and would work with just about any dried herb, from dried mushrooms to chili flakes to rosemary. When combining a salt with a flavoring that is a little more moist like roasted garlic or citrus, you will need to dry it out in the oven for a short period.

I must admit out of my three, I fell in love with my roasted garlic salt; the flavor is more complex than your average garlic salt and is epic on french fries. The meyer lemon salt is more mild but perfect for fish, chicken, and basically anything that needs a hint of citrus. The shiitake version has a very distinct aroma and would be delicious sprinkled on a soup or any dish with mushrooms. Pick up a box of kosher salt at your local market and start concocting your very own flavored salts this holiday season.

Get these incredibly easy recipes when you read more.

It's an endless cycle: satiating your salt and sugar cravings can end up with you just wanting more. Once our taste buds get used to sugary or salty foods, it's hard to cut back. Since most of us are eating way more than the recommended daily values for sugar (six teaspoons of added sugar a day) and salt (1500 to 2300 mg a day) — not to mention the sugar and salt levels hiding in processed foods — cutting back on these addictive ingredients is important.

You can put me in the over-salter group. Whether it's a stir-fry or chips and salsa, I find myself craving salty foods all the time. Lately, however, I've been trying to cut back on my sodium intake, and I've been realizing just how hard it can be.

Are you also a big fan of salt or sugar? Read on for some tips that have helped me cut my cravings.

• Angelina Jolie will be back in Salt 2! — Huffington Post
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Readers, fuzzles wants your advice! She loves food and cooking, but needs to cut down on the salt. "What are your favorite low sodium products and tricks for a tasty lower sodium diet?" she asks. "I've had to get serious about this issue!"

We couldn't agree more. Just like sugar, salt has snuck its way into our diets in every way possible, so we've been watching our sodium intake, too. FitSugar has plenty of suggestions, like avoiding any foods that include salt as one of the first five ingredients, avoiding soda and sport drinks, and opting for low-sodium products. Personally, I try to stay away from anything in a can that I can obtain fresh, like vegetables or beans; those typically have tons of added sodium.

Did I miss anything? How do you cut down on your salt intake when cooking and dining out?