Strawberry Guava Oatmeal Bars

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9 pan.

To make the strawberry guava filling, combine the thawed strawberries, guava jam, honey and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Use an immersion blender to puree the filling.

Then cook the filling over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a boil and has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool slightly. (You can also make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate overnight.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in the oats and brown sugar (and shredded coconut, if using) until combined.

Transfer half of the dough into the greased baking pan, and use your hands to spread it evenly on the bottom of the pan.

Bake the crust at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, and pour the strawberry-guava filling on top of the crust spreading it to cover the crust.

Spread the rest of the dough on top of the filling, using your hands to make sure the dough covers the filling.

Return to the oven and bake at 350°F for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the edges of the bars are golden brown and the center is set.

Cool completely before cutting into bars, and enjoy!