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1
Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F and grease a 9x9 pan.
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2
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.
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3
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.)
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4
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.
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5
Stir in the oats and brown sugar (and shredded coconut, if using) until combined.
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6
Transfer half of the dough into the greased baking pan, and use your hands to spread it evenly on the bottom of the pan.
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7
Bake the crust at 350u00b0F for 15 minutes.
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8
Remove the pan from the oven, and pour the strawberry-guava filling on top of the crust spreading it to cover the crust.
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9
Spread the rest of the dough on top of the filling, using your hands to make sure the dough covers the filling.
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10
Return to the oven and bake at 350u00b0F for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the edges of the bars are golden brown and the center is set.
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11
Cool completely before cutting into bars, and enjoy!
