Heat a medium non-stick pot to medium heat. Add the vegan butter and wait until it is just melted.
Add the flour to the pot and whisk until all the butter is mixed in. You should have a paste like consistency. Cook the butter and flour for 30-40 seconds while mixing continuously (the mixture should bubble slightly from cooking) until it is light brown.
Slowly add in the milk (it should be at room temperature, not cold) and mix continuously until the flour/butter mixture is completely blended into the milk. Try not to leave any butter/flour chunks.
Turn the heat to medium/low and continue to whisk. When you first start to notice the sauce thickening, add the grated ginger, grated jalapeno, garlic powder, and lemon juice.
Continue to stir until the sauce has thickened into a creamy smooth white bechamel sauce (note: the thickness should be such that the sauce still pours off the spatula). Be sure to whisk or mix frequently so that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan. This step could take 10-15 minutes so be patient. In the meantime, defrost the corn & spinach as indicated below.
Once the white sauce seems done, turn the heat to low and add salt, sugar, and pepper to taste. Depending on the acidity of your lemons you may prefer to add more.
To Prepare Corn Spinach Toast:
In the meantime, completely defrost the frozen corn and spinach in the microwave and set aside. Be sure to squeeze out all the water from the defrosted spinach otherwise the consistency of this dish will be watery and off.
Next mix in the defrosted corn and spinach into the prepared white sauce. (note: be sure to drain ALL the water from the frozen spinach before adding. I usually squeeze the water out with a spoon or my hand. If this is not done, the mixture will become runny).
Cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust the amount of sugar/salt/pepper if needed. Turn off the heat.
Bake at 350 degrees or toast the slices of bread in the oven or toaster oven.
Spoon the hot mixture on each slice of bread.
(optional) Top with shredded vegan cheese and bake at 350 for another few minutes until the cheese has melted.
Enjoy with your favorite hot sauce! Leftover corn and spinach mixture can be kept in the fridge in air-tight container and heated the following day!
Notes
Bread - I prefer to use sourdough slices or a fresh french baguette.To serve as an appetizer, thinly spice the long french baguette into small round slices and serve bite-size portions.Gluten-Free Option - use your favorite gluten-free bread and use rice flour.Vegan Cheese - use your favorite vegan cheddar shreds or fresh vegan mozz by Miyoko.Make Ahead Tip - Make the corn and spinach mixture the day before.