Sort beans and discard any shriveled ones, stones, or debris. Rinse thoroughly in a Colander under cold running water. No soaking needed — pressure cooking works straight from dry. Use roughly 1 lb dried beans to 3–4 cups water or broth. Have aromatics and salt ready; salt can go in at the start.

Add rinsed beans, measured liquid, salt, and aromatics to the inner Pot. Submerge beans fully. Lock the lid and set the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High Pressure. Cook times by bean type: black beans ~25 min; larger beans like white kidney or red beans ~35–40 min. When unsure, start low and check after release. Allow 10–15 min for the pot to come to pressure. When the cycle ends, press Cancel and natural release for 20–30 min — do not open the valve immediately. Pressure is fully released when the float valve drops and the lid unlocks. Short on time? Natural release for at least 10 min, then carefully switch to Venting. Open the lid and bite-test a bean — it should be tender with no hard spots. If still firm, seal and pressure cook on High for an additional 10–20 min, then natural release again. Very old beans or hard water can cause stubbornness.

In a small Mixing Bowl or jar, whisk together the ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, fresh ¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 2–3 lemons, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, minced 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp fine sea salt for cooking quinoa, and 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed — it should be bright and tangy.

In a large Mixing Bowl, combine the cooled 1 cup quinoa rinsed well in a fine-mesh strainer, 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained, diced 1 medium cucumber seeded and diced, 1 medium red bell pepper diced, 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved, 0.5 medium red onion finely diced, and chopped ½ cup flat-leaf parsley finely chopped. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Taste and add more dressing as desired.