Soak the cashews in enough freshly boiled water to cover cashews and leave for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425F. Scatter the parsnip onto a non-stick baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes is up, stir the parsnips, add the quartered pears and roast for a further 20 minutes until the parsnips are tender. Remove from oven and transfer the parsnip and pear to a bowl.
In a large pot, heat up a few tablespoons of water until bubbling. Add celery and onion and cook, stirring constantly. When water starts to evaporate, add more and deglaze pan. Continue doing this until onion is translucent (about 4 minutes).
Add the vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme and roasted parsnips and pears. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
In the meantime, make the cashew cream. Drain and rinse the cashews. Add to a high-speed blender with 1 cup water and blend until smooth.
Using an immersion blender, purée the soup mixture until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the cashew cream and mix. Season as desired with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty whole meal bread.
