Apple-Beet-Butternut Squash Soup

1 lg. red beet

1 sm.-med. butternut squash

1/2 purple onion - chopped

5 lg. garlic cloves - crushed-halved

3T butter

2 med. apples - - optional

1/2t pumpkin pie spice

1/2t ground black pepper

1-2t garlic sea salt

2-3T organic honey

3-4c water

Peel and chop the beet and squash, into a 5qt. pot.  Add the onion, garlic, butter and scrubbed-chopped apples if you're using them.  Simmer these ingredients over medium heat, stirring often, for approximately a half hour.  Stir in the seasonings and honey, add a little of the water, if needed, to keep everything from sticking.  

Simmer, covered, for another 20 minutes or so.  Cool, then puree in the blender, adding the rest of the water, a little at a time, as needed.  Return everything to the pot again, and bring to a low bubble.  Simmer for another 15 minutes or so.  At this point you could add a cup of sour cream, stirring just enough to blend with the other ingredients.  Heat carefully, to just steaming.  Serve with crusty bread.  If you didn't put sour cream into the soup, a little now would be nice on top of each bowl.  Sprinkle with slivered almonds or roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds. . .Lin