I remember that somewhere in halacha it stated that kavanah was part of the reason that one makes HaMotzi instead of Mezonos. If one is reasoning that you’re eating a meal (koveah seudah), irregardless of the amount of juice used instead of water, that the bracha is HaMotzi; not Mezonos.
Those “mezonos” bagels with a shmear are really “hamotzi” because that’s your breakfast.
I always considered mezonos bread the same as the tooth fairy – neither really exists in reality.