Healthy Highlight: Guava

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Guava fruit grow off of a beautiful tropical tree in Central America. Guava fruits have leaves used in herbal tea and is used to create leaf extract for a supplement, edible seeds and fruit. Guava tastes similar to a pineapple and strawberry and is a delicious flavor for drinks, teas, jams, and more.

  • Guava fruits are very rich in antioxidants, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber
  • Guava can help lower blood sugar levels
  • Guava also can help boost heart health 
  • Guava is also known to help painful symptoms of mensuration

Recipes:

Breakfast Guava Bread (betsylife.com)

  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups Butter, softened
  • 1 cups Brown Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Coconut Extract
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped Guava, peeled, seeds removed
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
  • 3-4 tablespoons Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup Coconut Flakes, toasted
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until fluffy
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Mix in extracts
  5. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add in the flour mixture until well combined
  6. Fold in chopped guava
  7. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and cool completely
  9. Whisk together powdered sugar and heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until desired glaze consistency is reached. Pour over cooled bread. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. 

Hawaiian Guava Cake (favfamilyrecipes.com)

  • 1 Strawberry Cake Mix
  • 1 1/3 cups Guava Nectar or Guava Juice
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Coconut Oil

For Cream Cheese Layer:

  • 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 8 ounces Cool Whip

For the Guava Gel Topping:

  • 2 cups Guava Nectar or Guava Juice
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons Water
  1. In a mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, guava juice, eggs, and coconut oil until well combined. Bake in a 9×13 glass baking dish according to cake mix package directions. 
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with hand mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla and mix well. Slowly fold in the Cool Whip and refrigerate until ready to use. 
  3. In a medium saucepan, bring the 2 cups guava juice and sugar to a boil. Make a slurry out of the cornstarch and a small amount of water.  Remove guava juice from heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat and bring back to a boil and boil for one minute. Cool in refrigerator.
  4. When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. When cake has cooled, spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake. Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  5. Glaze the top of the cake with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Guava Syrup (apronwarrior.com)

  • 4 Pineapple Guavas
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup of Honey
  1. Remove the guava’s stem and slice in half
  2. Place in a small saucepan face down along with one cup of water
  3. Bring to boil and allow to cook for at least 10 minutes, turning over the guavas halfway through
  4. Place guava into a sieve and press with a spoon to collect juices
  5. Add honey into the guava juices
  6. Blend with a blender to remove any left over grittiness from the guava
  7. Enjoy