Lemon-Pepper Carrot Rice with Chickpeas

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Lemon-Pepper Carrot Rice with Chickpeas: High-Fiber, Weight-Loss Friendly, and Gluten Free

Jump To Sections In This Article: Why I Love This Recipe What Makes This a Great side-dish Option Why is This Recipe Good for Weight-Loss? Variations I have Celiac: How do I Make This Safely Gluten Free? What to Do If I Need Help with My Weight Loss The Recipe

Why I Love This Recipe

There’s something awful about getting fresh produce.

I don’t mean health-wise. I mean, once you buy a fresh vegetable or fruit, a little countdown clock starts in your head.

Every so often, with a jolt of annoyance or guilt, you remember that there’s something slowly going bad in your fridge. Worse, you have to spend time and energy to prevent that happening. And soon! What if it ALREADY went moldy?

That’s why in my weight-loss journey, as I began cooking more from home, I developed a fondness for the humble pantry recipe. Canned beans and hardy vegetables that almost never go bad? These items are so close to my heart; I can’t get through a month without them.

So, this recipe is one of those side-dishes that I LOVE to have on my meal-plan. It requires no countdown-clock in your head! Carrots and onions last WEEKS and WEEKS in the crisper drawer, and chickpeas are safely canned in your pantry. The celery also lasts a long time, but it’s optional if you don’t have it handy. How great is it to walk right past the quick-wilting lettuce and spinach in the grocery store, knowing you already have a very nutritious veggie side-dish planned for this week?

Let’s get into it.

Why This Works Great for a Side-Dish

One piece of protein on a plate looks lonely, doesn’t it?

Sometimes, you just have to round out a meal that feels too tiny and simple! Because this side-dish happens all in one skillet and using only 1 burner, it’s a great dish to make on the side of your protein (that might be in another skillet, in a sheet pan in the oven, or even in the air-fryer.

So, this side-dish is one of my favorites. It’s friendly to the Veggie-Skeptics out there, because carrots are one of the most crowd-pleasing veggies out there. And it’s beautifully seasoned with thyme, red pepper flakes, and lemon-pepper seasoning (one of my favorite simple seasoning combinations!) .

Why is This Recipe Good for Weight-Loss?

In the West, lots of us think of a complete plate with a big starchy side-dish (think a pile of oven-roasted french fries, a cup of rice, a heap of pasta, a slab of bread, you name it. Now, these are all awesome things, and they belong in our lives. But when you’re aiming to lose weight, sometimes swapping a few of these heavier sides for a lighter veggie-based side can help you increase your fiber and increase your fullness (not to mention, get lots of micro-nutrients that help your body function at its best.)

The two things that make this dish wonderful for weight loss are 1) the calorie count (under 250), and the fiber content (a whopping 12 grams!) When the calories are reasonable and the fiber is high, you know you’re in for an easier calorie-deficit and less hunger overall.

Even just making this kind of swap 2-4 times per week can make a big difference to your weight-loss journey (and you can have your awesome rice, french fries, pasta, and/or bread on the other nights!)

Variations

Cauliflower Rice
Use the frozen pre-riced cauliflower from the freezer aisle, or take about ½ a lb of cauliflower and add it to your food processor (rice it just like you would rice the carrot). Then, continue following the recipe exactly as written!

Smokey Carrot Rice
Instead of thyme, red pepper flakes, and lemon pepper seasoning, use a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. It’s complex and delightful, especially with a tiny bit of cotija cheese crumbled on top.

Ginger and Miso Carrot Rice
Instead of vegetable broth paste, use 2 tsp of miso paste and 1 tsp ginger paste or fresh grated ginger root. Then, change up the seasoning (my favorite is Badia brand Fried Rice Seasoning. You can add a bit of soy sauce and sriracha on top at the end, for even more flavor.

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I Have Celiac. How Do I Make This Safely Gluten Free?

You're in good hands — I have celiac disease too, so this recipe was made with gluten safety in mind! Here’s how to keep it close to 100% safe:

1. The Carrots, Onions, and Chickpeas
   Carrots, onions, and chickpeas are naturally gluten-free. I cannot find any canned chickpeas that are actually certified gluten-free by an external organization that does testing on them. But it’s always possible that some people do react to tiny bits of cross-contamination with canned chickpeas, so if you’re one of those people, you may want to go with a brand that says “Gluten Free” on the can, such as Goya (check it out here.) . As I always say, always check labels and ingredients every time, because this information changes over months and years.
2. Seasoning
   You’d think that spices would all be safe, but you’d be wrong. Be sure to check that your Lemon-Pepper seasoning is labelled Gluten-Free on the container. For example, on the Badia brand Lemon-Pepper Seasoning, it says the words Gluten-Free(check it out here.). This is because some companies use anti-caking agents that contain wheat. You also want to make sure your vegetable broth paste is labelled gluten-free (Edward and Sons, as well as Knorr, were both labelled Gluten-Free as of 7/3/2025). Again, always check labels and ingredients because this information changes over time.
3. Avoid Cross-Contamination at Home
   If you're the only one in your house eating gluten-free, prep your side-dish carefully. Use a dedicated gluten-free food-processor, if possible, and wipe down all surfaces thoroughly to avoid gluten-containing crumbs getting in your food. You can also use a skillet that you have dedicated to only gluten-free foods!

How Else Can I Support My Weight Loss Goal?

You can stay in my circle! My name is Megan Gaul. I’m an online wellness coach specializing in weight loss and food freedom. My 100-lb weight loss journey, which began in 2018 here in Staten Island, New York (I’ve been maintaining my healthy weight range since then), was the catalyst I needed to start my coaching career in 2021. I have a number of resources that can help you:

• Grab your free Journey-Day-1 coaching call: Book Now
• Attend live Meal Planning classes every week, taught by yours-truly (join free here)
• Enroll in your 1-1 coaching program to get out of your negative cycle and actually lose weight for good: Learn More
• Follow my Instagram for more recipes and strategies, and all about Messy Life after Losing 100 lbs (find me at @partake_foodie)

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Lemon-Pepper Carrot Rice with Chickpeas: Lemon-Pepper Carrot Rice with Chickpeas: High-Fiber, Weight-Loss Friendly, and Gluten Free

Yield: 2

Author: Megan Gaul from Partake Meal Planning

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min

This pantry-recipe is perfect for those end-of-week dinners where all your fresh produce is either eaten up, or wilted. Using carrots, onions, canned chickpeas, olive oil, and a lovely seasoning blend, this recipe is simple yet packs a flavor punch. Plus, it's gluten-free and safe for those with Celiac. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

• 3 medium carrots (around 1/2 a lb)
• 1/2 a medium onion (around 100 g)
• 1 stalk celery (around 60 g)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (around 12-13 g), divided
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1-2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 can reduced-sodium chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup water (you won't use all of it)
• 1 tsp vegetable broth paste - Knorr, or Edward & Sons
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning

Instructions

1. Prep carrots: Remove the stem-end from the carrots, roughly chop into 3 or 4 pieces each, then use a food processor to pulse them until the pieces are just slightly bigger than grains of rice.
2. Prep other veggies: Dice the onions. Slice the celery stalk long-ways to create 2-3 long sticks, then dice these as well.
3. Cook the aromatics: Heat a large deep skillet on medium. Once heated, add just half bit of the olive oil (save the other half for later). Add the onions, along with a bit of kosher salt, black pepper, the thyme, and the red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions are translucent (around 3-7 minutes, depending on your heat level). Remove them from the skillet and set them aside to wait.
4. Soften the veggies: Heat same the skillet on medium-high this time. You don't have to wipe it out. Once hot, add the carrots and chickpeas with a bit more salt and pepper. Then, pour in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and broth paste. Stir well, and cover to soften for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Finish the dish: Remove the cover. Now, cook until the leftover water is evaporated. Once the skillet is dry, you'll hear the carrots start to sizzle. This is when you add the onions back in. Also add the remainder of the oil, along with the lemon pepper seasoning, stir well to combine everything, and cook until the carrot rice has browned slightly. Taste to ensure the chickpeas are soft enough for you. Also taste for seasoning, and add more salt, thyme, lemon pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes if needed. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice and add some fresh parsley, if you like.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

244

Fat

9 g

Sat. Fat

1 g

Carbs

37 g

Fiber

12 g

Net carbs

25 g

Sugar

8 g

Protein

8 g

Sodium

2160 mg

Cholesterol

0 mg

This wepbage provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online nutrition data from manufacturer and food retailer websites. By accessing or using this recipe, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the full nutrition information disclaimer for this website, which you can read in its entirety here.