A Spotlight On Allrecipes Allstar: Mackenzie Burgess

This registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer, and Gen Z Allstar is all about sharing low-fuss recipes.

Meet Mackenzie Burgess: One of the 60 million cooks in our Allrecipes community and an Allrecipes Allstar.

What is an Allstar? Food bloggers, registered dietitians, and more home cooks (just like you!) make up our enthusiastic squad of 100+ brand ambassadors. This crew of food lovers has submitted thousands of recipes, photos, and reviews over the years, plus share their cooking expertise all over our website and social channels. In short, they make all of our cooking adventures more successful. Interested in becoming an Allrecipes Allstar? Learn more, and sign up here.

Get to Know Mackenzie

We caught up with Mackenzie at home in Colorado.

Tell us about yourself! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who develops recipes on my blog, Cheerful Choices. I also work with clients to meal plan, and host personalized cooking classes to help busy professionals gain kitchen confidence. It may sound weird, but I find great joy in organizing my kitchen, and I plan to start my own business one day as a professional organizer!

Outside of the kitchen, I love hiking, playing pickleball, and exploring new restaurants in Denver (especially tapas spots).

While I often cook for my fiancé Brandon, and we love to host dinner parties with friends, my favorite person to cook for is my big brother. He has a discerning palate, which can be intimidating, but the satisfaction of winning his approval with a perfectly executed dish is thrilling.
I love cooking any kind of pasta dish. I’m excited to perfect the art of homemade pasta after my honeymoon in Italy!

Fun Fact

Growing up, I worked at a small town donut shop that sold 5-pound cinnamon rolls! And yes, I tried it, but eating that much cinnamon roll yourself felt overkill. I liked taking day-old ones home, and since they were a bit more stale, I would turn them into French toast to enjoy with family and friends!

What's always in your fridge? Your pantry? I use a combination of store-bought and fresh staples. You will find colorful fruits and vegetables that I prep and chop so they are ready to go alongside frozen meals and pre-portioned salmon. I pair the frozen meals and salmon with rice and a bag of steamed veggies for a stress-free dinner! I also can't forget plain Greek yogurt. I add to both sweet and savory dishes. And my pantry is stocked with grains, spices, snacks, sauces, and canned fruits and veggies.

(Psst! Check out Mackenzie’s guide on how to shop from your pantry.)

What kitchen tools can you not live without? My Ninja DoubleStack air fryer helps save countertop space & veggie chopper, which helps cut back on prep time!

Have a food trend you're over? I'm ready to move beyond the trend of demonizing processed foods. While moderation is key, embracing a balance where all foods fit into a healthy diet is essential!

What is your most cherished food-centered memory or tradition? S’mores during summer camping trips! Plus Mac and cheese from my childhood is my ultimate comfort food; it's creamy, cheesy, and always soothing. I remember having the boxed ones after surgeries or when I was sick. Then, I learned how to make homemade mac and cheese, and now, my specialty is Mack's Mac and Cheese.

So tell us, what is for dinner tonight? Air-fried salmon bites with bang bang sauce!

Hot Tip

My favorite tip I’ve been using lately is to add a splash of apple cider vinegar when washing berries to help them last longer in the fridge. I share tips on my Instagram at @cheerfulchoices all the time!

Low-Fuss Recipes

As a busy Gen Z professional, Mackenzie is all about getting nutrition-packed recipes on the table quickly and easily. And, bonus points if the cleanup is a breeze. With summer in full swing, you will find her perusing farmer's markets in the pursuit of seasonal vegetables and fruits and then taking them home to grill. "I love challenging myself to make a delicious recipe from the ingredients I find on my weekly shopping, and not turning on the oven is always nice in the summer," says Mackenzie. Her latest dinner obsession is a juicy grilled Beyond Burger topped with caramelized onions and a good tomato. Another top contender is a quick and easy stir-fry that uses all the leftover veggies and protein from her market adventures.

As the weather starts cooling down, she is still looking for low-maintenance and versatile recipes, using any ingredients she might have on hand. This turkey chili recipe, one of her fall favorites, is straightforward but hearty with plenty of flavors. It's even better on the second day and easy to customize, too. "This flexibility in embracing substitutions not only boosts my creativity but also allows me to go on fewer grocery runs," says Mackenzie. "It is also the main cause of my growth as a home cook."

To Mackenzie, being a home cook means “always having a way to bring joy and express gratitude to the people I care about.”

Learn more about Mackenzie Burgess and what she's cooking in her kitchen!

Read the original article on All Recipes.